True Destinies
by Evil-Gwen
Summary: characters from The Matrix, Blade, & BtVS (& OC) -Faith, Oz, and Frost join in to fight a war to end all wars, discovering new things about themselves, and the world around them.
1. Feelings

True Destinies

Rating: R (for Language, sexual content)

Disclaimer: Buffy characters belong to ME & Joss, Blade belongs to whoever owns that, not me, and The Matrix belongs to Warner Bros.  And the band featured in this chapter dos not belong to me either, although I wish they did.

Setting: After the series finale of Buffy - before the movie Blade - and during the 1st Matrix movie and into the second, although that depends on if the next movie comes out before I finish.   

Summary: Faith and Frost join in to fight a war to end all wars, discovering new things about themselves, and the world around them.

Note: crossover with The Matrix, Blade, & Buffy, and then a ship full of my own characters.  Lyrics for the song The Game are in ().  Character pronunciation::: Eyecon=Icon…..Roin=Rowin.

Prologue: Feelings

After the destruction of the Hellmouth Faith followed Buffy and company to Los Angeles.  She knew the Scooby gang wanted to go and track down the slayers, but all Faith wanted to do was sleep.  The gang stayed with Angel for a while, before deciding to move to New York City.  Faith followed, feeling like her purpose/destiny laid in New York.  When they arrived in New York they learned that the vampires there were immune to wooden stakes.  Instead silver bullets or stakes did the trick.  This didn't bother Faith in the slightest.  Guns were new, but not impossible to handle.  She helped Buffy patrol with the others, one night she discovered a club owned by a well-known vampire.  She heard that he was gorgeous, vicious, and cocky.  So naturally she wanted to be the one to take him out, and before Buffy decided to sleep with him.  As she left her room that night a feeling trickled over her that made her stop and turn to look back at the room.  It was just a room in the loft that she shared with four other girls.

  "Faith."

  Faith turned to see Buffy walking toward her from the bathroom.  "B?"

  Buffy checked out Faith's clothes.  "Going out?"

  "Heard about a vamp, so I'm going to take him out."

  "Wearing that?"

  "He owns a club, figure I'd catch him during dinner time."

  "Want backup?"

  "Nah, you should rest.  Normal life remember, take Dawn to the movies."

  "Be careful."  

  Faith was about to give her a smooth answer, but changed her mind.  "Buffy, if I don't come back, don't come looking for me."

  Buffy wrinkled her brow.  "Faith, is everything okay?"

  "I just…have a feeling.  Not about the vamp, but like I have a bigger destiny out there.  Bigger than being a slayer."

  "What could be bigger?"

  "I don't know."  Faith hugged Buffy.

Buffy seemed a bit surprised by Faith's sudden show of affection.

The second she walked into his club, Deacon Frost knew he wanted her.  Wanted her blood, wanted her sexually, he wanted to own her.  She gave off a wave of power.  She entered the club and walked straight through the crowd of dancing clubbers toward the long bar on the other end of the room.  Her long brown hair flowing around her bare shoulders, the slick red pleather halter-top covered her chest, while thin straps criss-crossed twice over her back.  His icy blue eyes traveled down her bare navel to the black leather pants that hugged her hips and ended to reveal the thick healed black boots.  The beat of a drum from the band pulsed through the club.  She smiled at the sight of the metal band on the stage along the left wall.  Her fiery brown eyes watched the band and then traveled over the crowd.   She saw Frost, but didn't hesitate and kept looking.  He followed her to the bar and sat a few seats down as she ordered a shot of the strongest liquors.  She tossed it back and made no expression as it burned down her throat.  She slammed the glass upside down on the bar so hard that the rim cracked.  She turned her eyes meeting his and weaved her way into the middle of the dance floor.  She smiled at him as she began to move her body to the music.  'Who is she?'  He thought, as the band started a new song.   She screamed in celebration.

Faith couldn't understand why all the best bands always ended up playing at vampire clubs.  Right now Disturbed was up there.  She screamed in celebration as they began playing her favorite song, The Game.  Just as she caught the vampire's eyes again the doors burst open, he looked over there, Faith followed his point of view.  A teenage girl with short spiky hair dressed in a black shimmery cat suit ran in.  Behind her were two men dressed in suits with guns.  She leaped over the crowd and dove behind the bar on the other side of the room.

  "That's impossible!"  Faith exclaimed.  She couldn't do that and knew no vampire could either.

It was a simple mission: go to the post office, pick up the message from Zion and leave.  But things are never that simple.  El ran into trouble the second she opened the letter in the alley next to the post office.  An agent dropped in trying to intercept the message, a few seconds after El destroyed it.  As she ran out into the busy street, she pulled out her cell phone.

  "Kale, I need an exit now!"

  "There's a club straight ahead.  The phones are in the back, 3rd one."

El slapped the phone closed and tucked it into the front of her shirt.  She jumped onto a taxi and then on top of a tractor-trailer.  She saw the club ahead, suddenly the trailer rocked.  She turned to see an agent had jumped on behind her.

  "Fuck."

  "Ms. Angelo."  The agent sneered.

El turned to see the club ahead of her.  She ran and jumped off the truck onto a cab.  As the cab turned the corner she jumped off and ran inside with three agents tailing her.  She leapt over the crowd and landed behind the bar.  As she landed she pulled out the phone.

  "Kale, I'm surrounded and there are changelings everywhere."

  "Sorry, it's a vampire club.  Just stay put, this is the only place available."

The bartender morphed and reached down and grabbed her by the back of the neck.  She twisted around and shot.  She flipped up onto the bar.

Faith found herself surrounded, with only one option: Fight!  The men in suits seemed to hone in on the girl who could fly.  Faith didn't know why, but she felt an instinct to protect her.  _(Tell me exactly what I am supposed to do.)_ She tackled the man about to shoot the girl from the right.

  "Why?"  The girl asked as Faith stood up.

  "It's what I do."  Faith asked as she elbowed a vamp in the face.  (_Do you think that we could play another game?)_

El watched as the strange girl stopped the agent from taking the vampire's body.  'Who is she?' _(Darlin' you can trust me completely.)_ El pulled out her gun and shot the agent about to shoot the girl in the head. _ (I think that I could kill this time.)_  The girl turned and watched the agent leave the body.  

  "Fuck!"  The girl exclaimed.  "I'm Faith, what was that?"_  (It doesn't really seem I'm getting through to you.)_

  "El, they're agents.  They're here to stop me."

  "From what?"  _(A little bit of hell this time.)_

  "Spreading the truth."  _(Lie to me.)_

Faith grabbed her gun and shot the vampire to the left of her directly in the heart.  "What truth?"  _(Lie to me!)_

  "That the Matrix has you."  El yelled as she flipped off the bar and sent a vampire flying across the room.  "Faith, I need to get out of here!"  _(Is she not right?)_

  "Call me distraction girl."  Faith said as she flipped toward an incoming agent.  Faith fought her way through the crowd helping to get El to the back.

_(Is she insane?)_

  "What is she doing?"  Frost growled.  Enough toying, he wasn't going to let this ravenous girl get away.  He fought his way through the crowd until he was right in front of her.

  "Leaving so soon?"

  "Get out of my way, vampire!"  She hissed.

  "No, you are in my club and you will leave when I tell you to."_  (Will she now run for her life in the battle that ends this day.)_

She didn't blink; instead she grabbed his left arm and spun him in a circle.  She let him go to fly into a pair of agents.  They bent away from him, letting Frost knock over his own lackeys.  _(Is she not right?  Is she insane?)_  Faith watched as Frost leapt up and landed in front of her.  She turned to see that they were surrounded by cops and agents.

  "What the fuck are you doing in my club?"  Frost roared.

Faith grabbed his hands and flung him over her head.  He landed on top of a cop._  (Doesn't she realize she's in danger.)_  He flew back toward her.  She backed up against him and flipped him on top of an agent in front of him.  Faith's slayer sense told her to watch her back.  She jumped as an agent fired through her spread legs.  As she landed an agent grabbed her left leg and threw her.  She landed on top of the lead singer of the band.

  "Sorry."  She pulled him up with her.  "You should get your ass out of here, before you accidentally get shot."  He smiled at her and started to grab his stuff.  "Oh, forgot something."  Faith said as she grabbed his vest and kissed him hard and fast.  Before he could recover, Faith jumped off the stage with the mike stand.  She used it to knock cops and vampires out of the way.  She turned to see El run into the back where the pay phones were.  Faith used the stand to launch over the crowd that was now exiting the club.  She got there to find the third phone off the hook and the receiver dangling.  Before Faith could react, she was grabbed from behind and spun around.

  It was the vampire.  "I told you, you can't leave!"

She was about to kick him when she heard several clicks around her.  They were surrounded.


	2. Warriors Wanted

Chapter 1

Warriors Wanted

El opened her eyes; she was back on the ship.  She looked around; Kale one of the operators was still watching the monitors.  The captain unjacked her.

  "Who were the copper tops?"  He asked as she sat up. 

  "I don't know, Faith, and a changeling."  She stood up, slid off the chair, and stepped toward Kale.  "What happened to them?"

  "Taken into custody."  Kale spoke.  She turned and looked at El with her piercing brown eyes.  "Did you get it?"

  "Yeah, two messages: first we are advised to start unjacking warriors to help fight and to keep the agents busy.  The second is for you, Eyecon."

  The tall, pale, blonde haired captain stiffened.  "Continue."

  "When you resign you have to go to Zion so the new Captain can receive the codes."  She stepped toward him.  "You have two weeks to make your decision."

Eyecon sighed as he ran his right hand over his thinning blonde-almost gray hair.

  "So about the first part, if the agents think Faith and the other are a threat, maybe we should take them."  El spoke up.

  "It's a risk."  Kale warned.  "They are older."

  "Run their backgrounds, we could use another changeling."  Eyecon commanded.  "Need some sleep."  He left the chamber.

  "Any word on who he's picking?"  El asked.

  "None, but if we unjack these two, it will be his last trip in."

  "I can't imagine what it's like."

  "No, we really can't."

Faith left the club with Frost escorted by agents.  She sighed listening to the vampire complain. 

  "Do you mother fuckers have any idea who I am?"  They ignored him.  "Hey, I'm talking to you!"

A black car pulled up in front of them.  The agents opened the door and shoved Faith and Frost in.  Faith shifted uncomfortably with her hands cuffed behind her back.  The agents got in and started the car.  Frost shifted around.

  "Will you cut that out?"  Faith demanded.

  "There's no fucking handles."  Frost told her.

  "What?"

  "There's no fucking handles to open the door."

Faith looked down he was right, there weren't even buttons for the window.  He growled.

  "What's your problem now?"

  "I haven't fucking eaten yet."

  "Did you kiss your mother with that mouth?"

  "No, I ate her with this mouth."  He said leaning into her.  "You smell so good."

  "It's called Tommy Girl, I'll get you some next time I'm shoplifting."

  "I thought slayers were all goodie-two-shoes."

  "Well, then you haven't heard about me then."

  "And you are?"

  "Faith, and you are?"

  "Deacon Frost."

  "Well, Frost, you got any connections to get us out of this?"

  "If they're cops, yes; the government, no."

  "I really can't get arrested again."  She muttered.

  "Again?"  He asked in surprise.  "What did you do?  Slay a really important vamp?"  He joked.

The car stopped with a jolt.  The agents got out and ripped the two from the car.

After being pulled into a building, a long elevator ride to the 12th floor, Frost and Faith found themselves in separate rooms.  The rooms were completely stark white, furnished with a single steel table and two steel chairs on either side.

  "Do you have any idea who the fuck I am?"  Frost asked as an agent cuffed him to the chair.  Another agent sat across from him as a third stood in the corner behind Frost.  The one at the table put a folder on the table.  He opened the folder and sorted through the pages.  Then he put his arms down on the table.

  "Very interesting record, Mr. Frost."

Deacon did not react.

  "Do you know how many counts of homicide we can put you down for?  Hundreds." 

Deacon smirked.

  "We can make you out to be a serial murder."

  "And where are you going to hold my trial?  In a sunny courtroom?"

  "If you do not cooperate, yes." 

  "Do you have any idea who I am?"

  "You believe that you are a vampire."

  "A fucking 100 year old vampire."

The agent looked up as another agent entered the room.

  "Oh, one more to join the party."  Deacon said as he broke the cuffs and jumped onto the table.  "No human can do that."  Deacon tried to flip over the agent to get to the door.  Except the agent reached out, grabbed him by the throat, and slammed him down on the table.

  "Fuck."  Deacon growled.

The two agents held him down as the first one pulled something from the inside breast pocket of his jacket.  Deacon watched as the metallic thing came to life & began to wiggle around.  Deacon began to struggle as the agent held it over him.  As the agent's hand got closer Deacon kicked it and the thing landed on his face.  They all watched as it crawled over to his nose and crawled up his left nostril.

Faith was left in the room with her wrists cuffed to the chair.  The agents entered the room 20 minutes later to find her leaning back on the chair with her feet propped up on the table.  One of the agents pulled her chair back so her feet fell to the floor.

  "Ms. Wilkins."  Another agent spoke as he sat across from her.  She craned her head back to get a good look at the two behind her.

  "Present."  She replied as she looked at the one in front on her.  He was opening a folder.  Faith saw that is was her criminal record.

  "You have quite a record here."  She didn't reply.  "Two counts of murder, several counts of assault on citizens and police officers."  He waited for a remark that never came.  "Then you broke out of prision and in Sunnydale, California you assaulted more officers with a gang.  Now I really don't care about any of this.  What I really want to know is why you attacked us as we were trying to apprehend a known terrorist."

  "She's a terrorist?"  Faith asked in disbelief.  "She looks so young."

  "Looks are deceiving.  Why did you protect her?"

  "She asked me to."

  "Did she say what she was doing at that club?"

  "No, but its run by a va-vicious gang, so maybe she was trying to stop them."

  "Ms. Wilkins, if you are not going to help us then we will make you."

  "How?  By sending me back to jail?"    

  "No."  He nodded to the two agents behind her who grabbed, uncuffed her, and slammed her down on the table.  She struggled as one grabbed her ankles and the other held tightly onto her wrists.  The first one pulled a metal object out of his jacket.  He pushed the tip of it with his thumb.  It suddenly came to life and started wiggling around in his hand.  He lifted her shirt up and dropped the thing on her bare stomach.  They watched (Faith in horror) as it burrowed into her belly button.

  "Fuck!"  Faith sat up quickly, she looked around at her unfamiliar surroundings.  It was a motel room probably in the worst part of town by the river.  She looked down at her bare chest and touched her belly button.  "Just a dream!"

Suddenly the bed rocked as the figure next to her jumped up.  He rubbed his face with his hands.  Then slowly turned and saw Faith staring at him.  

  "Frost?"   

 "Faith?"

 "What the hell are you doing here?"

 "Where's here?"  He asked standing up.

Faith raised her eyebrows at his naked form in front of her.  "Oh, no, please don't tell me I did a vampire."  She said as she pulled up the sheets to cover her chest.

He eyed her breasts as she covered herself.  He looked around and spotted them as the phone rang.  Faith picked it up as Frost's cell rang.

  "Faith, Frost."  The same voice spoke on both lines.

  "Who is this?"  They both asked the strange male's voice.  

  "They have probably tapped both lines.  They got to you before we could talk, but if you are still interested in fighting a better fight, we would like to meet.  Come to the corner of Hudson and 5th at 3."  The line went dead.

  "What is going on?"  Frost asked putting his cell his pants pocket.

  "The girl at the club said that the Matrix has me."  Faith said quietly.  She reached over and grabbed a red tank out of her duffel bag.  She pulled it on, slipped on some underwear and jeans.  She turned on the lamp on the nightstand by the bed and looked at her watch.  "2:10."  She announced as she tossed Frost his shirt that was covering her boots.  She grabbed socks and started putting them on.  "So do you have a car or something?"

For the first time in Frost's undead life, he had no idea what to do. 


	3. Choices

Chapter 2  
Choices   
In the end Frost found himself at the meeting place. He stood on a corner with Faith and realized he hadn't eaten yet that night. That feeling disappeared when a black Buick pulled up in front of them. The back door opened and the teen from the club was looking up at them. Faith and Frost got in and the car continued on its way.  
"Pull up your shirt!" El ordered.  
"What?" Faith asked.  
The car stopped and the passenger turned around and aimed a pistol at Frost and Faith. He was tan and had short black hair. He looked Asian to Faith.  
"Look it's our way or no way. Make a choice."

"Fuck this!" Frost said and opened the door.  
"Deacon!" El spoke. "In all your life have you ever wondered why the good guys always come out on top? They want you to believe that silver and sunlight are deadly, but what if they're wrong. You can be stronger than that, more powerful, you just need to be freed."

"And how can I do that?"

"Be unjacked. Join us."

Frost closed the door and the car continued again. Faith lifted her shirt as El picked up what looked like one of those soap bubble guns, except a little bit larger.  
"This going to feel a bit weird."  El said as she flipped open a little compact. She turned it toward her to reveal a screen where the mirror should be. She pushed a button on the side of the gun. Electricity pulsed out and shocked Faith. The screen lit up and revealed the metallic worm. Faith gasped as Frost leaned in to look at the screen.   
"One, two-" El pulled the trigger and the worm was sucked into the gun. El hit the nozzle against her palm and the worm fell into her hand dead.  
"Look familiar?"  The passenger asked in a think Japanese accent.  
El climbed over Faith and opened Frost's window and threw it out. "You're next."

Frost suddenly remembered last night.  "You won't find it in my stomach."  He pointed to his nose.  
"Twitch, a little help?"  El asked.  
  
Ten minutes later they pulled up in front of a dilapidated movie theater. The driver and passenger left them at the front and went in through the side. El led them through the concession area and into the theater. Alice in Wonderland was playing on the screen. El led them to the front row where a small card table was set up with a glass of water. Sitting behind the table was a man in his mid-50s, large build, short thinning blonde hair, and a pale face. He spoke without his eyes leaving the screen.  
"Deacon Frost, Faith Wilkins, welcome."  El quietly left.  "I am Eyecon, you both have been asked to join us, because your help is greatly needed. We are fighting in a war, the war to end all wars, but we can't force you. So here's your choice."  He opened his hands and held them out, palms up. In each hand were two pills, in his right red, in his left blue. "Take the blue pill and wake up in your bed and believe whatever you what. Take the red pill and join the rebellion, fight."

Faith reached out to take the red pill.  
"Remember once you choose there is no turning back."

Faith took the red pill and swallowed it dry.   
Frost didn't understand any of this. The weird gadget had gotten the worm out, but that didn't explain anything. The strange man before him and the people in the car all smelled weird. Sort of like that new car smell, which wasn't right.  
"Frost, for what it is worth, doing this will make you more powerful than anyone's blood can offer you."

Frost picked up the glass of water and took the red pill from Eyecon. He popped the pill and swallowed it with a gulp of water.  
Eyecon stood up. "Follow me."  He led them to a room behind the screen. It was filled with old film canisters. Faith and Frost saw the two men from the car working with computer equipment and El placing a mirror between two dentist-like chairs. 典hose pills are part of a trace program, please take a seat."

"Trace what?"  Faith asked as she and Frost sat in the chairs.  
"You."  El said as she placed electrodes on Faith's forehead, neck, and arm.  
Eyecon flipped open a cell phone, pushed a button, and spoke. "Kale, do we have a signal?"

Faith looked at the mirror to her right, which seemed to be moving. Frost on the other side has already touched it. He pulled his fingers away. The liquid mirror was like honey as he massaged it between his fingers. He watched as it seeped up his arm.  
"Kale?"

"I don't see anything."  Twitch said.  
Faith gasped as the liquid mirror stuck to her fingers. It began to run up her arm.  
"Kale?"

"Still nothing." 

The liquid mirror traveled up their shoulders. Faith squealed as it climbed up her chin. Frost gurgled as it oozed into his mouth.  
"I have a lock on both!"  Twitch yelled.  
  
Frost opened his eyes. Everything was pink and liquid. He pushed at the jelly surface above him until it broke. There were wires everywhere and they were attached to his body. He couldn't breathe, which that in itself was weird, but he still felt suffocated. He touched his mouth; there was a tube or something there. He grabbed it and pulled it out. He gasped, coughed, and choked. He looked down at his pale, naked body. He looked around, but before he could form a thought he heard a popping noise. He turned to see a naked woman sitting in a pod to his right. She pulled the wire out and gagged. He tried to figure out why she looked so familiar, when he noticed the large cable extending from the back of her hairless head. He reached back to find he had one too. Suddenly a machine with red lights dropped down in front of him. Its claw of an arm reached out and grabbed him around the neck. He weakly struggled as it gripped his neck when the searing pain in the back of his head started. Just as it started the pain stopped and the machine let him go. A moment later all the wires began to pop off of him. The machine turned to the woman as Frost felt his body being sucked from behind. He tried to hold on, but the force was too strong. He slid down through a tube at the back of the pod and fell out the end into a pool of water. A few minutes later the woman fell out same tube. She saw him and weakly swam to him. She reached out and held on to him. He blinked as he felt her arm around his neck. Then there was a bright light and he was hoisted upward.  
  
Faith blinked trying to clear the haze. The faces seemed familiar. A cloth was draped over her as someone lifted her and cradled her in their arms.  
"Frost, Faith, welcome to the real world."  Faith blinked and then passed out.  
  
Eyecon cradled Faith as Twitch picked up Frost and carried them to the medical room.  
"Ivy, get us out of here."  Eyecon ordered as he left the room. He spotted El following. "El, wake up Oz and get him up to date. We're going to need some sleeping quarters for them."

El wrinkled her nose and walked back the way she had come.  
Twitch smiled. "She's gonna get a big head from being the one to spot these two."

"Well, I'm not making her captain, no mater how much she pouts."  Eyecon joked.  
"I don't mean to pry, but have you decided yet?"

"Maybe."  He replied as he stepped into the medical room and placed Faith on one of the tables.  
A large, muscular, black man stepped into the room and got to work.  
"Roin, are you sure you can handle them both?"  Twitch asked as he laid Frost on the other table.  
"No sweat, go get some rest."  Twitch smiled and left.  "You too, captain."  Roin said as he placed a hand on Eyecon's right shoulder. "You can't go in again, just training programs from now on."

"I still can't believe I've gotten too old for this. I'm old enough for the council."  Eyecon said running his left hand through his hair. "Well, you have work to do."  He left as Roin set to work.  
  
El didn't find Oz in his room, but in the mess hall.  
"Oz, did you see them?"  
The red head did not look up. "Yeah, I saw"

"What's wrong? We picked up two changelings like you. I thought you would have been happy."  
"A vampire and a slayer, El, and the reason I'm not jumping is because I know her."

"Faith? How?"

He looked up. "I fought by her side and against her. El, she's not a savior like the one. She's a murderer."

"She helped me out."  El said defensively. "Is this a Willow thing?"

Oz glared at her and bolted out the door.  
"Sorry I asked."  El yelled after him.


	4. The Truth

Chapter 3

The Truth

While Faith and Frost slept the crew went about their usual duties.  After only two days Faith awoke.

  "Where am I?"  She croaked.

Metal clanked against metal, "Shesh, girl, you scared me."  Roin sighed.  "How do you feel?"

  "My eyes hurt and I can't move."

  "Don't try to, your eyes hurt, because you've never used them before.  Now that's enough of a brainteaser for today.  Go back to sleep."

  "Can I know where I am?"

  "You're on the Apollo's Chariot."

  "Thank you," she sighed as she fell back to sleep.

A few more days passed before Faith awoke again.  Everything was hazy, she rubbed her eyes and the face in front of her became clearer.  It was so familiar.

  "Faith."

She slid up into a sitting position.  She looked down to see a wire attached to her arm.  Her eyes popped open wide.  "Get it out."  The person's hand reached out and gently grabbed her right arm.  It felt uncomfortable to have the wire taken out.  Faith rubbed the plug.

  "Who are you?"

  "My name's Twitch.  I was in the car earlier."

  "The guy with the gun."

  "Yeah, you want to get some breakfast?"

  "Sure."

Frost awoke feeling dizzy.  He sat up quickly and cursed himself for the head rush he received for doing so.  The door to the room opened and a man with red hair, dressed in shabby gray clothes walked in.

  "Welcome to the real world, vampire."

  "Who are you, where am I?"

  "My name is Oz, you're on board the Apollo's Chariot."  He reached over Frost and grasped his right arm.  Oz pulled the wire out.  "You won't need that anymore."

  "The man said doing this would give me more power, so why do I feel like crap."

  "Frost, is it?  Jacked in you were a vampire, but here you are human."

"No."  Frost said disgustedly.

  "Come on, you need to see the truth."  Oz opened the door.

Frost and Faith found themselves lying in chairs that reminded Faith of the dentist, minus the straps.  She heard a familiar voice fighting with Twitch as El strapped Frost down.

  "He wants you to go in."  Twitch said.

  "Why?"

  "You said you know her."

  "Not in the friendly way."

  "It doesn't matter."

  "Fine!"

Twitch walked over and helped whoever it was on a chair.

  "But you're coming too."  The person said.

El leaned over Faith.  "This is going to feel a little weird."  Faith gasped and she opened her eyes, everything was white.  Suddenly like the blink of an eye Frost appeared, then Twitch, and then Oz.

  "Oz, what?"

  "Hello, Faith.  I was hoping to avoid you until you were more adjusted, but the captain had other plans."  Oz said.  "Frost, Faith, we unjacked you, because a war is coming and we need warriors to help fight.  Both of you are like me, what we consider changelings.  Right now we are in a computer program.  This is the construct we can load everything from training programs to weapons, vehicles, and clothes.  If you haven't noticed before your hair is different, the plugs are gone, your clothes…" As he spoke Faith looked herself over and touched her hair.

  "We're in a fucking computer?"  Frost asked interrupting Oz, and received a confused glare from Faith.

  "Yes," Twitch replied.  "The world you know isn't real, your life, your past, it's all a lie."

Suddenly a television appeared before them.  

  "This going to sound harsh, but I promise you, it is the truth."  Oz said as the TV flicked on.  "Sometime during the 21st century AI was created."  Faith seemed confused.  "AI, Artificial Intelligence, the perfect machine, too perfect, no one sure who struck first, but a war broke out.  We don't know much about what happened, but we do know that we are the ones who knocked out the sun."  Oz gestured upwards.  The two looked around; they were surrounded by gray rocks and a dark sky overhead.  "In the end we lost and became their slaves."  The TV screen switched to the massive field of pods.  "Humans are no longer born, we are grown.  The dead is liquefied to feed the young."  The screen changed to a baby in a pod covered in wires.  "It's all to change human into this, (he held up a size D battery) a power source for them.  What is the Matrix?  Control."

Faith couldn't believe it, yet a small part of her could.  She'd seen enough crap in her life to understand.

  Frost started to laugh, "this is bull shit."

  "Is it, how do you explain it?"

  "What?"

  "The fact that you can't go out in sunlight."  Oz said.  "They are controlling you."

  "No," Frost said.  "I am a vampire, the top of the food chain!"  He looked around and saw white as far as the eyes could see.  "Get me out!  GET ME OUT OF HERE!"  He yelled.

Frost jumped out of the chair the second El unstrapped him.  He tackled Oz as he stood up.  "I'm powerful, no one controls, Deacon Frost!  No one!"

Oz pushed Frost off him so hard that Frost's head hit a piece of machinery and was knocked out.  He stood and looked at Faith.  "Are you okay?"

  "I knew."  She whispered.

   "What?"  Twitch asked sitting up.

  "When I was in a coma after Buffy (she put her right arm over hr stomach), I saw things.  When T woke up I thought it was all a nightmare, But I saw the fields.  I…"

  "It's okay, you don't have to talk."  Twitch said.

  "I need to lay down."

  "I'll take you."  Twitch said, as he led her away.

  "I have work to do."  Oz said leaving the room.

The next day Frost was awoken by El.  "Hey, wake up, today is training day."

  "Fuck off!"  Frost said rolling over. 

El slammed the door and opened it again.  "You think you're so tough.  I bet you can't even take me."

  Frost sat up.  "What?"

  "Get some training, then I'll kick your ass."

Frost stood up and looked her up and down.  "Who's for breakfast?"

She pushed him away.  "You wish."  She walked to the door.  "Are you coming or what?"  He followed her to the mess hall, where everyone, but Twitch are eating.  "I guess you haven't met everyone yet."  El said as Frost took a seat next to Faith.  "That's Kale, with the cornrows and her twin, Ivy with the long braid.  They both double as pilot and operator.  Roin's the ship's doctor.  You met Oz, he's our weapons expert in the matrix and he operates the ship's guns.  Twitch is our engineer and Eyecon is the captain."

Oz put a bowl in front of Frost and another in front of Faith.  He handed them each spoons.

Frost wrinkled his nose at it.  "What is this?"

  "All the proteins, vitamins, and fibers the body needs."  Roin explained.

  "Otherwise known as goop."  Eyecon said walking in.  "Who's operating today?"

Kale raised her right hand.

  "We have to do them separately or it will crash our system."

  "Well, I'll take the first and Ivy can take the second."  Kale replied with Ivy nodding her head.

  "I'll go second."  Faith volunteered.

  Kale stood and put her empty bowl in the sink.  "Frost, eat up and I'll meet you down there."

He lifted the bowl to his lips and swallowed it in one gulp.  "Ewgh."  He said, putting the bowl down.  Kale leaned over El who was sitting across from him and took his bowl.  She started to lead him out.

  "Kale," Oz spoke, "when he's done with the basics, give him guns and sword training."

  "Cool," Kale replied as she led him out.

  Oz turned to Ivy.  "Iv, Faith is a slayer, so go over weapons first, if she adapts to them then give her fight styles and gun training."

  "Isn't that a little much?"  El asked.

  "No," Oz looked over at Faith and smiled.  "She'll probably eat it all up in a matter of minutes.  El, in the matrix slayers are taught various fighting styles and have to be experts in al types of weapons."

Faith blinked, she hadn't expected this kind of treatment from Oz.

  "I have to go, that gun needs to be fixed."  Oz said, standing.

  "Can I join you?"  Faith asked.

  "Sure," Oz replied is surprise. 

When they got to the gun deck, Oz started pulling out tools and set to work as Faith watched.

  "Why?"  She asked after a few minutes.

  "Why what?"

  "Why are you being nice?"

  "Last night after watching your reaction, I tracked down Giles, tapped a phone line and called him.  I told him that you are with me and to tell Buffy not to worry.  I asked him why you were released from jail.  He told me what you did."

Faith sat back.

  Can you hand me the screwdriver?"  Oz asked, half bent in front of the gun.

Faith pulled one out of the toolbox and handed it to Oz.  "So how long have you been here?"

  "Since, (pause) 3 years, I left Sunnydale in the middle of freshman year, because of a werewolf incident.  I traveled around a bit.  While I was in India, I was at a temple when it was attacked by agents chasing Twitch and another.  I was angered by their disrespect so much that I wolfed out.  I attacked and killed the agents and every body they possessed.  Twitch asked me to join them, but I was afraid.  So they gave me a week to decide."  Oz paused to test his handy work.  The gun rotated easily.

  "You went back to Sunnydale, didn't you?" 

  "I thought maybe if Willow and I could get back together, but…"

  "Tara."  Faith whispered.

  "Yeah, I knew I had lost Willow forever. So I contacted Twitch and have been part of this crew ever since."  Oz sat down on the chair in front of the gun and swiveled around to face Faith.  "So you're a good guy, now?"

  "Yeah, the Angel crew bought Angelus back and broke me out to contain him.  I went for another coma trip, this time inside Angel's head.  After Angel was brought back, I hightailed to Sunnyhell and helped defeat the first evil."

  "Wicked."

  "Yeah, I had enough of jail, wanted to fight for something."

  "And Frost?"

  "If El hadn't shown up, he would be ash right now.  Oz, he's a master vamp."

  "We can train him, but he'll always want blood.  When we get to Zion, I'll introduce you to the other changelings."

  "There are more of us?" 


	5. Training Programs

**There was a mix up with the last two chapters, I posted 4 before 3, but that's fixed now.  For this chapter I'm not very good at writing fight scenes, cause I don't know the names of the moves.  So please forgive me if it sounds a bit vague.  & as always please review, I love writing this story and do not want to stop, but if I don't get any feedback, well you get the idea.

Chapter 4  
Training Programs   
  


Kale strapped Frost to the chair and jacked him in.  

"Isn't this a bit kinky?"  He asked with a smile.  Kale ignored him and loaded the first program.  After a few minutes, his eyes popped open.  "Boring."  He said in a cocky tone.  She loaded another.  After hearing about seven 'borings', she loaded a higher-level program.  This time when he opened his eyes, he was sweating and breathing heavily.  Kale smirked at him as she loaded the next one.

A few hours later Oz walked in with Faith.  Ivy was watching Frost; she brushed his hair with her hand lightly.

"He's incredible, the first programs he breezed through in a matter of seconds."

"How far did you get?"  Oz asked.

Ivy jumped.

"Last program; you know it's funny, she's the oldest and yet she's falling for a vampire."  Kale remarked.

"He can't hurt me."  Ivy said defensively.

"Not like that."  Faith said.

"Am I done yet?"  Frost asked as he finished the program.

Oz pulled the jack out.  "Yeah, Faith, you're up."

Ivy unstrapped frost as Oz strapped Faith to another chair.  Ivy and Kale switched.

"Come on," Kale said to Frost.  "Eyecon wants you to work with Twitch."  Kale led Frost away, as Oz left Faith with Ivy. 

Ivy put the headset on and sat down.  "Buckle up, cause you're going for a ride."  Ivy said as she started the first program.

Hours later, Oz was fixing something in his room when El walked in looking worried.

"Oz?"

He turned around and saw the concerned/scared look in her eyes.  "El, what's wrong?"

"Frost he just flipped.  One minute he's with Twitch being showed the engine.  And the next he's attacking Twitch."  

"Where is he now?"

"Locked in his room."

Oz opened a drawer in the small desk in front of him and pulled something out.  He closed the drawer and pocketed the item.  Oz turned back to El.  "Don't let him out.  He's going through withdraw, it's part of being a changeling."  Seeing her mouth open to say something he cut he off.  "It's worse than what you or the others went through, trust me."

She nodded her head, and then stepped aside to let him out of the room.  She followed him down to Frost's room.

"What are you going to do?"

"Surprise him."

Oz stopped in front of Frost's door.  "Remember do not open this door until I say."  With that he opened the door and walked in.  He closed the door behind him and looked around.  Suddenly frost tackled him.  Oz didn't struggle he let Frost hold him down.

"Put me back!"

Oz just looked up at him.

"PUT ME BACK!"  Frost repeated louder this time.

"We can't you choose the red pill."

"I'm a fucking vampire!"  Frost said as he leaned in to bite Oz's neck.

Oz didn't struggle instead; he simply pushed Frost off.  Frost was thrown onto his bunk.

Oz stood up and pulled a small circular mirror from his pocket.  "Vampires don't reflect, but you do."  He put the mirror in front of Frost.

Deacon blinked.  He had not seen his reflection in over two hundred years.  He had piercing, icy, blue eyes, he face was pale, and his hair was nothing but peach fuzz.

"See anything?"  Oz asked.  He didn't wait for an answer.  "You have it easy, you had a choice in the matrix: to kill or not."

Frost looked up narrowing his eyes, wondering what Oz meant.  "I didn't as a werewolf, I could kill people and not know about it until I read the newspaper the next day.  I had no control over the hunger.  You did."

Frost looked back into the mirror and opened his mouth.  His fangs were normal human sized human teeth.  "What the fuck?"

"And you won't like the taste of blood either."

Frost's eyes sparked at the mention of the word.  "Why not?"  He asked in a dark voice.

"None of the other vampires who have been pulled have."

"Why?"

"Doesn't taste the same."

El knocked on the door.  "Faith's done."  She yelled.

Oz stepped toward the door.  "Come on."

Frost stood and followed.

Faith opened her eyes.  El told her that she would feel tired like after staying up studying all night.  Faith didn't feel that way, instead she felt energized like when she was about to fight vamps.  That slayer charge is what she felt.  She looked up to see Oz looking at her, he knew.

"El, Frost, want to fight?"  Oz said still looking at Faith.

Frost wrinkled his eyebrows in confusion.

"Kale, put mine in."  Kale nodded her head at Oz as she rifled through discs and pulled one out.  Ivy handed her the headset and stood up.  "El vs. Frost, Faith vs. me."  Oz said as he laid in a chair and Ivy jacked El and Frost in.  She then moved over to jack Faith and him in.  "Kale, load to the construct first, then the program after five."

Frost opened his eyes; he was in the white again.  Oz smiled.

"As I told you, Frost, you and Faith are changelings like me.  When we were created there was a glitch, a problem with our encoding, which was later corrected when we were sired, bitten, or chosen.  This so-called problem makes us faster, stronger, and more agile than normal humans.  We are said to be as powerful as The One.  But since The One has not been discovered yet, we aren't sure if that's correct or not.  As changelings we can manipulate our self-image, Frost."

Frost reached up and felt his elongated fangs, he grinned.

"Changelings are not limited to werewolves, vampires, and slayers.  Demons, witches, and ghosts have also been unjacked."  Oz checked his watch.  "Now here's the object of the game: get in one good punch on El and I."

Faith and Frost looked confused.  The construct began to change; windows and walls appeared.  It transformed into the gym at Sunnydale High School.  Faith smiled at Oz.  She got into her slayer stance.  Frost used his training to get into position, as did El who was facing him.  Oz just stood still and faced Faith smirking.  It was only then that she caught Oz's cruel joke.  All four of them were dressed in Sunnydale high gym uniforms; girls wearing shorts and guys in pants.  Faith laughed at Frost who was oblivious to the costume change.  Faith also noticed that there were not any mats on the floor and that the bleachers were pulled out.  Oz advanced on Faith; she backed up and then tried to punch him.  He moved to the right.  Every punch and kick he either blocked or slid away from.  But faith wasn't giving up.

Frost was surprised by El for a petite17 year old; she was kicking his ass.  He went to kick her; she grabbed his leg and threw him.  He landed in the 3rd row of bleachers to their right.  Before he could jump up she jumped and landed next to him.  He scrambled to get up, but she knocked him down.  He rolled back and jumped up.  He punched, she blocked.   As he kicked, she tossed him about.

"Come on, Frost, you're a vicious vampire and this is the best you can do?  I'm a 17 year old girl, kick my ass."

His eyes flashed as he lunged for her neck, she back flipped out of his grasp.

"Just fucking hit me!  One-good-punch!"  She said facing him.  

He growled and tackled her.

"You're getting there, but not quite."  She said as she pushed him off.  He flew straight up two feet and landed hard on the bleacher.  "You need something else."  She said looking down at him.

Faith didn't understand it, in Sunnydale Oz could barely dust a vampire.  How could he now block every one of her punches?  As she tried to kick him in the head, he ducked a split second before her leg would hit him.  He slid down and knocked her right foot out and she fell.  She jumped up and watched as he tried to kick her, which she blocked.  She tried the same move he had just done, but he hopped and flipped back a step.

"How?"  She gasped.

"Faith, this isn't real, the rules of gravity, not real.  You can fly if you really tried."

"But?"

"Faith, what's the first rule of slaying?"

"Don't get killed."

"Okay, second."

"Use your instincts."

"What do yours tell you?"

Faith froze, "that I should be able to kick your ass."

"Why can't you?"

"You're too fast."

"Wrong."  He looked up to see El watching him.  "Kale, load the jump program."

The ground underneath them suddenly changed as it rushed up to them.  Faith and Frost looked around, they were on top of a building in a city.  Oz and El are standing at the ledge of the building staring at the building across the street.

"Remember," Oz spoke, "the matrix is control.  But you can break the control, break the rules and fly, well jump."  Oz jumped, soared, and landed on the other building.  The concrete cracked under his feet.  "My lesson," he spoke as he turned to face them, "clear your minds."  El smiled as she turned and jumped over to Oz.  Frost smiled nervously.  "No sweat, my minds clear, here goes."  He stepped back twice ran and leaped.  He soared over the street, but as he neared the building he smiled over confidently.  He lost his arc and plummeted.  He fell, the ground bounced him up a few feet and then he slammed to the ground.

"Kale, take Frost out."  El said, "Faith?"

Faith stood alone on the roof, she hopped fences before and fell off a building, but she never jumped them before, at least not over a large street like the one below.Her instincts told her that the jump was impossible, maybe it was time to stop listening to them.  She could do this, it was just a program, right?  She stepped back, ran, and leaped.  She sailed straight out over the street, her arms flailing around, her legs spread out like a ballerina during a jete.  As she neared the building she glanced down, fright shivered up her spine and she began to fall too soon.  She reached up and grasped the ledge, her body slammed against the building.

"Faith, just push yourself up, like getting out of a pool."  El said.

Faith tried, but her body felt too heavy and she lost her grip.  She closed her eyes waiting for the end, but it never came.  She opened her eyes just as someone unjacked her.  She was back on the ship with Oz looking down at her and Frost's nose bleeding. 

"If this is just a program, how the fuck am I bleeding?"  

"Your mind makes it real."  Oz answered.

"So if we die in the matrix?"  Faith asked.

"You die here too, the body can't survive without the mind."

"So what's with Eyecon?"  Frost asked.

"Cancer?"  Faith asked.

"Sort of."  Oz answered as El left the room.  "He was pulled out wrong."  Oz sat down.  "They say it better to pull people out when they are younger, the mind has a harder time letting go the older and intrenched in the matrix you are.  In the matrix he was diagonesed with brain cancer, right after he was contacted.  That wasn't truth, the machines were trying to use him to get to the rebellion.  So even though he was pulled as a child he still had a hard time letting go.  They messed with his mind, so now we have to be careful when he goes in.  The last time he went in to get you two, his mind tried to stay in.  In his situation he's a liability."  Oz sighed.  "He's resigning."

They looked up to see Eyecon had walked in.

"Oz, you were right to tell them.  I was avoiding them, because of our situation.  (He look to Faith and Frost.)  You need to know the risks, but the rewards are worth it.  Oz, plan a trip to the Oracle for these two."

"Sir?"

"They need to know they're destiny, before we reach Zion."

"Zion?"  Faith and Frost asked, but Eyecon was gone.         


	6. Going to the Oracle

**In the movie the never say what city all of this takes place so I'm just taking a guess if you have it in good authority that they do, please let me know otherwise enjoy.**

Chapter 5  
Going to the Oracle   
  


"Zion is the last human city."  Kale spoke up.  "Ivy and I were born there and it's our last refuge."

"Where is it?"  Faith asked.

"Down near the core where it's still warm."

"Who's the Oracle?"  Frost asked.

"She guides all the unjacked toward their destiny."  Oz said, "anyone else hungry?"  He asked cutting off any more questions.

A few hours later Oz sat watching the monitors.  He was typing something in code onto one of the screens.

"What are you doing?"

Oz looked up.  "Faith, you scared me."

She looked at the other four monitors, "is this it?"

"The matrix."

She leaned in closer, squinted and leaned back.  "How can you see it?"

Oz smiled.  "After a while you don't see the code anymore."  He watched her as she tried to make her eyes adjust.  "You seem different."

"Prison changes you."

"Maybe, but I think it's that."

"I'm not psychotic?"

"Obliviously, it's just something else."

Her face became somber.  "When Sunnydale got sucked down the hole, I realized a lot of things."

"Like what?"

"Actions and consequences, and how the world is both big and small at the same time."

Oz watched her calmly.

"Sunnydale go down the hole."  

He smiled at the Plucky Duck reference.

"So what's Zion like?"

"Big, cave-like, warm, and tons of people."

"Like us?"

"Changelings?"

"Yeah."

"Some about 30 all together."

"Any slayers?"

"You're the first."

"Lucky me."

"Mostly vampires, witches, demons, and 3 ghosts."

"How many werewolves?"

"Six including me."

"So what are you working on there?"

"Blueprints for an intercom system."

"Hmm, can we find anyone on these?"  She asked pointing to the monitors.

"Who do you want to see?"

"Buffy, actually, wondering how she's doing without me."  Faith waited as her eyes adjusted to the code, after a minute she saw Dawn and Buffy walking down a street in New York.  It was sunny and bright.

"They look happy."  Oz commented.

"Well, sure Buffy's no longer the only slayer."  Faith looked away from the screen.  "What are witches like out here?"

"What?"

"Like how…does magic still exist?"

"Many witches believe so, why?"  Oz was trying to hide the fact that he was thinking of Willow.

"Well, I mentioned the first evil thing, and we did a spell to make all the potentials slayers."

Oz seemed surprised.

"Yeah, so all these slayers are running around.  And if that's true out here we might have slayers out here."

"Sounds interesting, but I don't know that much about magic.  When we get to Zion, we can ask around."

Faith nodded her head.  "So the Oracle?"

"She's a guide."

"And we'll meet her tomorrow."

He nodded his head.

"Who's all going in?"

"El, you, Frost, Twitch, Roin, and I."

"What about Kale and Ivy?"

"I thought you and Frost would have noticed it out by now."

"What?"

"They don't have any plugs, they were born in Zion."

"Born, actually born, I thought that was just a figure of speech."

He shook his head no. 

"I didn't actually notice, they just…"

"Didn't seem different?"

"Yeah."

"The only prejudices here are against the machines."

Faith nodded her head and yawned.  "I'm going…"

"Night, Faith."

"Night, Oz."

The next day Oz found Faith and Frost waiting for him by the jack-in station.

"What's up, we going in already?"  Faith asked.

"No, one last lesson."  Oz replied gesturing to the chairs.  They both took a seat as Eyecon jacked them in.

"Oz, I want you to do it."

"Sir?"

"Go ahead, they trust you."

Oz sat down.

Faith and Frost found themselves on a busy street with people and cars rushing by.  Oz stood in front of them dressed in all black.

"Follow and listen."  Oz said as he crossed the street at the green light.

Frost looked at Faith in the tight black leather outfit.  They quickly followed after Oz weaving in and around people.

"The matrix is about control, but as free people we still have to deal with the law keepers.  The ones who hold the people captive."

As Oz talked a woman in a red dress walked by.  Frost couldn't help but look.  She was luscious and sexy; her vibrant red lips and white blonde hair captivated even Faith.

 "FAITH, FROST!"  Both turned back to see Oz staring at them.  "Not paying attention?"  Both were at a loss for words.  "Look again."  Both turned to see a man in a suit pulled out his gun and point it at Faith.  She gasped at the nozzle aimed at her nose.  "Freeze program!"  Oz spoke and everything froze.

"This isn't the matrix?"  Faith asked.

"No, it's another training program."  Oz replied.

"He's…"  Frost started.

"An agent," Oz finished.  "They are the gate keepers, they hold all the keys.  They know every way out and they guard them with an iron fist.  They are unkillable and unstoppable.  The move fast, people have emptied whole clips on them and hit nothing, but air.  When you see an agent, RUN!  Anyone who has faced them is dead.  Anyone in the matrix can be one therefore everyone is a potential enemy.  Questions?"

"Anyone?"  Faith asked.

"Anyone, Twitch and I were in a vampire club and watched three vamped out vampire of the demon breed change into agents.  So today when you go in be aware and alert.  Do not let anything go unnoticed.  Ready?"

Faith and Frost looked at the agent and back at Oz.

"Kale, ready?"

The scenery melted into white.  El, Twitch, and Roin joined them.  El had spiky blue hair and was dressed in black cargo pants, a black tank with gun holsters on both sides of her chest and a black zip down hooded sweatshirt with black, steel toed combat boots.  Roin's hair was pulled back into a ponytail.  He wore black boots, black pants; a long sleeved black shirt, and a long black leather trench coat.  Twitch's hair was short in the back and long enough in the front to cover his left eye.  He was also dressed in black with a black trench coat.  Oz's hair was blonde.  He wore a black Dingoes Ate My Baby t-shirt, black pants and boots, and a black hooded sweatshirt like El's.  Faith was in black pleather and her hair was long, she also wore a long black leather jacket.  Frost found himself dressed similar to Twitch and his hair was styled short and spiky.

"I want everyone packing," Oz said.  "Kale, weapons."

Walls of weapons zoomed up to them.  El and Twitch grabbed two handguns each and put them in their holsters.  Oz grabbed a sword and handed it to Faith who attached it to her belt.  He also handed her a gun with four clips.  El handed Frost a sword too and two guns with two clips each.  Once everyone was loaded up, Kale sent them to an appliance repair shop.   Oz picked up the phone on the third ring.

"We're in."  He said and put the phone down.  Twitch led the group out, as Oz turned to El, "El, stay here."

She nodded and took a seat.

They stepped outside to find a Ford escort waiting for them.  Roin took the drivers seat as Twitch took the passenger seat.  Roin started the car as the other three got in the back with Oz in the middle.  Roin pulled out into the street and turned right.  Frost looked out the window still in shock that he had not burst into flames.

"Nice to see the sun.'  Oz commented casually.

Frost nodded and smiled.

 Faith stared idly out the window marveling at her surroundings.  She took note of some familiar landmarks.  As the car rolled to a stop at a red light, she was surprised to see two familiar faces standing at the corner waiting for a bus.  She turned to see Oz looking out the opposite window.  Faith breathed a silent sigh of relief as the car started moving again and they left the corner where Willow and Kennedy were waiting.  Faith let her mind wander and thought about what Buffy and Angel Inc. were up to.  She became so lost in thought she didn't even notice when they had stopped in front of the shabby apartment building.

"Faith."

She looked up to see Oz holding the door open for her.  She got out and stood by Frost on the sidewalk, who was staring at his hands.

"Call us."  Roin said to Oz as he turned back into traffic.

Oz led them inside to a bank of elevators.  Sitting across from the elevator was an old man who appeared to be blind.  Oz nodded respectfully at the man who nodded back.  When the elevator arrived Oz ushered the two inside and pressed a button.

"This oracle must be something to afford a place like this."  Frost scoffed.

"She is very old and wise, and has been with the resistance for a long time."  Oz said as the doors opened.  He led them down the hall to a door where he stopped.  Before he could reach for the doorknob, the door opened.  A woman stood there dressed in a white flowing dress.

"Oz," she spoke with a smile.  "Come in."  She led them into a living room where a group of about 8 children sat.  "Faith, Frost, you can wait here with the potentials." She smiled, "Oz, she would like to speak with you."

Oz seemed confused as he followed the woman further into the apartment. 


	7. Her Messages

**This isn't a spoiler alert, I just wanted to let anyone who hasn't seen the 2nd movie know and those who have, yes the oracle does explain vampires and stuff like that.  But I didn't understand most of that speech, so I'm giving you my explanation.***

 Chapter 6  
Her Messages   
  


Oz walked into the small kitchen with the beaded curtain clicking behind him.  She had her back to him as she put a baking sheet in the oven.

"Hello, Oz."  She greeted without turning.  "Why don't you take a seat?"  She said as she set a small timer.  She stood and turned, she smiled see that he was sitting.  "You're probably wondering why I asked you in."

He nodded his head.

"You're still the same quiet guy I first met."

"Not really."

"Well, not as much, but…"

"But?"

"Well, I wonder if you're ready for the responsibility that lies ahead.  You remember what I told you when you first came in here?"

He nodded his head.  "I have to live with the wolf both inside and out, they will lead me down the path of freeing all changelings for the magic inside shall set us free.

She smiled, "to the letter.  When you realize the responsibility you will be tested as to whether or not you can use the past to open the future.  Allies will come from unusual places.  Let the wolf out, then you will see the truth."

"The past?"

"Your past and the past?"  She replied as she stepped toward him.  He stood.  She smiled and hugged him; he returned the hug.  As she pulled away she touched his hair.  "Take care of them, they maybe free, but they are still very lost."

He nodded.

"Could you sent the vampire in first?"

"Sure, it's good to see you again."

"You, too."

After Oz left them, Faith and Frost looked around at the children.  A boy and a girl were sitting in front of a 70's style TV.  The screen showed an underwater scene.  The girl pressed her hand into the screen as though it were water.  Two girls were sitting on a couch playing with a metal ball that changed shapes in their hands.  Faith left Frost's side and knelt next to the girls.  Frost looked over to the last group where three boys were floating wooden blocks back and forth to each other.  That's when he heard a small voice from below him.

"Sunlight isn't your only triumph."

Frost looked down at the small, pale, bald boy sitting at his feet.  Frost crouched down next to him.  The boy held a spoon that bent in his small hand at will.  "Bullets will still kill, but can you learn to bend like the spoon?"  The boy asked as he handed the large spoon to Frost.

Frost stared at the boy.  "What's the catch?" 

"There is no spoon."

"There is no spoon?"  He asked in disbelief, but watched as the handle dent in his hand.  Frost watched his reflection in the spoon turn and twist.

"Frost!"

Frost watched the spoon snap back to its original position showing his startled reaction.  He looked up at Oz standing in the doorway.

"She will see you now."

Frost stood, but realizing he still had the spoon he bent down and handed it back.  He followed Oz's directions to the kitchen.  He pushed the beaded curtain aside and walked in.  She was sitting at a small, round, wooden table.

"I've met mystics and witches before, but not an oracle."  He told her.

"Sit," she said bluntly.  He sat.  "I can see through your charade.  You only left for power, but if you continue down that path your soul mate will kill you."

"Huh?  Soul mate?"  He scoffed.

"You are going to be tested, kill or be killed, can you learn to just run away?  Because if you don't it will hurt both of you.  There is power to be had out there, but you have to work for it, work hard.  Blood may have meant life in there, but when you're free it is not your salvation."

Frost was surprised by her harshness.  "So what, that's the almighty guidance I came here for?"  H stood as he spoke trying to be able to look down on her.

She watched his fangs lengthen.  "You can't hurt me, I'm part of all this.  I think you enjoyed being a slave and now that you're free you're lost.  A lost little boy playing with daddy's gun, just remember the gun is loaded."

Frost knew she was right, but he didn't want to believe it.  "I'm Deacon Frost."  He whispered to himself.

She stood and put a hand on his right shoulder.  "No, you're not, that's who they told you to be."

He growled in frustration.

She smiled seeing that he may finally understand.  "On your way out tell Faith to come in."

Frost walked back into the living room, he stepped over to Faith, and leaned down towards her.  "Your up."

She looked at him and nodded her head.  She stood and walked to the kitchen.  Frost was about to go find Oz when he felt a tug at his pant leg.  He looked down to see the boy with the spoons.  "You need this more than I do."  Frost took the spoon and sat down next to the boy.

When they first walked into the room of children.  Faith watched Oz leave, when she saw the two girls on the couch.  One had long blonde hair while the other had long brown hair.  Curious Faith walked over to them and knelt in front of them.  They looked down at her and smiled.  The blonde handed her the ball.

"Place it in your left palm and it will tell you who you are."

Faith put the silver ball in her hand as they said; it was about the size of a tennis ball.  The ball started to melt; it morphed into a metal stake.  "The slayer."  Faith whispered.

"Now place it in your right palm and it will tell you who you are meant to be."  The brunette said.

Faith did, and the stake elongated into a sword.  "Champion?"

"Warrior." They said simultaneously.  The sword began to glow.  "For the light."

"But…this isn't real."

"No, but the message is."  The brunette spoke. 

"Faith!"

Faith looked up to see Frost.  She handed the ball back to the blonde, who grabbed her hand.  "She forgave you."

Faith blinked as she pulled her hand away.  She stood and walked into the kitchen.   She ducked under the beads and looked around.  A woman sat at a table.

"My kids are pretty smart."

"You're the oracle?"

"You're the slayer."

"A…"

"The."  She interrupted Faith.  "You are the first free slayer, so you are."

Faith looked at the chair.

"Go ahead sit."  Faith did.  "Changelings are interesting creatures by the law of man they shouldn't exist, but they did.  By the law of the machines they are an error in programming and not exist, but they have.  Vampires, slayers, demons, werewolves, none of the supernatural should exist, but have.  Why?  I do not know, but they do and always have.  You're the slayer, in the matrix you fought evil, but it's in the real world where you need to discover what you're the slayer of.  You need to ban together other like you, and your past will help.  You are not the one, but you are just as powerful and you will be able to sense him just as you can sense other changelings.  You know that as in the matrix if you use your power it will bring you rewards.  But you will be tested first, tests of character, skill, and strength."

Faith took it all in.  "Will I be asked to lead?"

"If you choose to."

"Is that all?"  Faith asked cautiously.

"Almost, your slayer skills are part of you, the true you.  Use them to your advantage."

Faith stood.  "Thank you."

"No, thank you, I was never sure I'd actually get to meet you."

Faith smiled and left the room, she found Frost standing next to Oz bending a spoon.

"Whatever she told you, is for you alone."  Oz said as he turned.  He led them out.  When the elevator came the door opened to reveal two men; a large, bald, black man and a lanky, younger, white man.  The younger man looked apprehensive.  The older man smiled at Oz.

"Oz."

"Morpheus."  Oz said nodding his head respectfully.  As the two walked past, Faith felt a buzz from the younger man, but she wasn't sure what it meant.  Once inside the descending elevator Faith spoke.

"Who was that?"

"Morpheus, captain of the Nebecanezer."

"Who was that with him?"

"I don't know, why?"

"A feeling, I don't know."

Roin and Twitch were parked out front.  The three got into the car as Roin started the engine.

Kale watched the monitors with Eyecon watching over her shoulders.  Suddenly the code changed.

"What's going on?"  Eyecon asked alarmed.

"I don't know, I don't think it's us.  See this grid?"  She pointed to the screen in front of her.  

Eyecon nodded.  "Call El, get her out of there just in case."

El sat on a milk crate reading a comic book when her cell phone rang.

"Hello?"

"El, get out, trouble!"  Kale yelled, "I'll call back when I have an exit."

El slapped the cell closed, grabbed the duffel bag next to her, and ran out of the store heading north.  She hoped she would run into the others.

Kale hung up with El and dialed again.  "Roin head south Hudson and 5th is your exit!"

"Trouble?"

"Not sure, just go."  Kale hung up and dialed El.  "El, Hudson and 5th."

El rounded the corner of 5th to see a semi crash.  "No dice, accident."

Kale typed furiously.  "Parking garage, 5th and Spruce."

El hung up and continued running.

Kale dialed once more and relayed the new message.


	8. What’s Real to You is Fake to Me

**This chapter is sort of tying up the loose ends of Frost and Faith's past before pushing them further into the real world.**

Chapter 7

What's Real to You is Fake to Me

Roin turned toward Kale's new exit and right into a traffic jam.  He groaned.  "You three get out and go ahead we will catch up."

Oz nodded as he opened the car door and jumped out.  Faith and Frost followed.  

"Remember the lowest level of the parking garage on 6th and Spruce."  Roin yelled at them amidst the honking horns.

Oz nodded his head and slammed the door closed.  He turned to Faith and Frost.  "Be ready for anything."  He said as he started walking south.  Faith and Frost picked up speed as Oz started to run.

El saw two men standing outside the entrance of the garage.  Not wanting to risk that they might be some type of agent, she climbs in through the side.  As she crawled through the gap in between the walls of concrete, she reached out with her right foot.  She tapped the hood of the neon, no alarm.  She rolled down onto the car and down to the ground.  The payphone she needs is in the center by the elevator and stair, but it is down another level.  She quietly made her way over to the stairs.

Kale watched as El made her way to the stairs.

"What is that?"  Eyecon asked pointing to the bottom right screen.

"Crap, changelings."

Frost looked past Oz as they neared the garage.  He reached out and grabbed the back of Oz's shirt.  Oz turned.  "Frost!?"

"Stop, the guards in front are mine."  Frost said shoving Oz toward the wall of the building they were running along.  Faith stopped and glared at them.  "They won't let you in, but I have an idea."  Frost said.  He turned to Faith, "put your arm around my waist."  He then turned to Oz, "walk behind me with your head lowered.  Don't look up unless I talk to you."

Faith glared at him.

"It's the only way."

"Fine."  Faith sighed as she put her arm around his waist.  "Should I act like a whore too?"

"It couldn't hurt."  He said with a cocky smile.

Faith rolled her eyes.

"Let's go," Oz said as he handed his sunglasses to Frost.  "Sunscreen doesn't cover your eyes."  Oz said as Frost put them on.

Frost walked confidently toward the guards, Faith on his left with her right arm snaked around his waist.  Oz followed, not liking this plan, but not wanting to get the hell out before anything else happens.  The guards stood their ground as the group neared them.  When Frost was only a few feet away, the guard looked up at him in surprise.

"Deacon, where, how?"  The first guard asked.

"Sunscreen, new and extremely improved."  He smiled and griped Faith shoulder.  "So what's inside that you have to keep the cattle out?"

"Mercury and Quinn have a slayer cornered in the bottom level."  The second guard replied.

"So are you going to move the fuck out of the way?  I'm beginning to sweat."  Frost said crudely.  As the guards moved aside, Frost guided the two inside.  Faith gave both guards a flirtatious smile as they passed.  "Oh and boys what does the slayer look like?"

"Small, blonde, vicious."  The first guard answered.

Frost turned to see the guards refusing to let Oz pass.  "Hey, let him the fuck in, he's mine."  Frost left Faith and grabbed Oz by the neck.  He pulled Oz toward him and sniffed him.  The guards were comforted by Frost's normal display of ownership over the human and turned away to watch the street.  Oz glared at Frost as the vampire led them to the stairwell.

Once inside Oz pushed Frost off him roughly and took the lead.  Faith pulled away from Frost and smacked him over the back of the head.  They followed Oz down to the bottom where there found El waiting for them.

"The payphone is around the corner, but there are two, three vampires and a slayer out there."

"Frost, go first, Faith, El, I'll follow last."

Frost opened the door a few feet in front of him fighting is Quinn, Mercury, Buffy, and Blade.  Frost started to freeze, enjoying the fight, but at the same time unsure of what he was feeling.

"Right, the phone is to your right."  Oz hissed.

Frost stepped out and moved toward his right.

"Deacon Frost!"  Blade announced.

"Shit."  Oz cursed, he pushed Faith and El out and stepped in front of Frost.

"Oz?"  Buffy asked.  "Faith?"

"Deacon?"  Quinn and Mercury asked.

"El, get to the phone."  Oz ordered.

El started to move, but Blade aimed his gun at her.

"No!"  Faith yelled.

The payphone started to ring.  Everyone looked over at it.

"El, go!"

El ran over and picked it up before Blade could even blink.  They all watched as she picked up the phone, put it to her ear, and dematerialized.  The receiver dropped and banged against the stand.

Before anyone could pick up their weapon, Oz spoke.  "These two mean something to you, enemy or ally.  Well, forget it.  They are not part of your fight or your world anymore.  They have a new battle to fight for, a new war to win.  Killing them will only harm your world."  Oz walked over and hung up the phone.

"Deacon?"  Mercury asked.

"You're not real, none of this is."  He spoke harshly, not bothering to look at her.

The phone rang.  Frost glanced at Blade and then walked over and took the phone.

As Buffy watched Frost disappear, she felt confused.  "Faith?"

"Bigger destiny."

"You found it."

The phone rang.  "Tell the gang I said bye."  She walked over and picked up the phone.  After she dissipated, Oz put the receiver back.

"They fight for your freedom from slavery."

"From what?"  Blade asked.

Oz smiled he pulled out the sword and tossed it to Buffy.  She caught it and beheaded the two vampires.

The phone rang.

"Oz," Buffy asked, "how are we slaves?"

"The matrix has you."  He picked up the phone.

Oz opened his eyes to see Roin, Twitch, and Eyecon peering down at him.  

"Oz, my quarters now!"  Eyecon ordered as Roin unstrapped him.  Eyecon left.  The rest watched Oz as he stood and followed.

"What's that about?"  Faith asked.

"No clue."  Twitch replied.

"Did you find out what happened?"  El asked Kale.

"Yes, another crew went to see the Oracle right after you.  As they were leaving, agents swarmed in.  I switched your exit, cause it was too close to where they were."

"Whose crew?"  Roin asked.

"Morpheus."  Faith muttered. 

"How do you know?"  Twitch asked.

"We ran into them after seeing the Oracle."

"I should get back to the engine room.  Frost, want to join me?"  Twitch asked.

Frost nodded his head.

Just as the two started to leave an alarm went off.

"What's going on?"  Faith asked.

"Sentinels!"  They heard Ivy yell from above.  Eyecon ran in and up the stairs.  Faith and Frost followed.

"How far?"  Eyecon asked.

"A few yards, but we can't out run them."  Ivy reported.

Faith and Frost saw the holographic image pop up.

"Change the EMP."

The lights went out as Ivy flicked switch.

"Faith, go up to the guns.  Oz will show you what to do."  Eyecon ordered.

Faith bolted out and continued up the ladder onto the next level.  She found Oz already seated at the primary gun.

"What do I do?"  She asked as she sat behind the second gun.

Oz didn't turn around.  "See the handle in front of you."

"Yeah, it looks like a joy stick."

"Look through the target and pull the stick back to fire."

"That's it?"

"Yeah."

A hush fell over the ship as the sentinels grew near.

"How many?"  Eyecon asked.

"Five," Ivy whispered back.

Frost glanced down at the radar.

"Just give me the word."  Ivy said.

Eyecon remained silent.  Frost watched, as the five dots grew closer.  Just as they were almost on top of them Eyecon spoke.

"NOW!"

Ivy flicked the switch and the air filled with electricity.  Frost watched the radar as the dots disappeared.

Faith watched as the machines moved toward them.  Suddenly blue electrical current burst from the ship and the machines fell dead in the air.  She heard Oz sigh.  He stood slowly and steps toward her.

"They're dead."  He reached over and loosens her hands from the stick.  "You can let go now."

She looked at her hands surprised by how tightly she had been holding on.  She let go and stood up.  "So this is life everyday for you?"

He nodded his head.

"And I thought the Hellmouth was bad."

"It's not all bad."

"No, cause you get the play superhero."

He smiled, as he started to climb down to the main deck.

"So what did the Oracle tell you?"  She asked as she followed him down to the main deck.  He didn't respond.  "Oh, was that something I shouldn't have asked, cause I can never tell."

"No, it's okay.  She told me that I would change the way changelings thought."

"Cryptic."

"Not sure which is worse: her or Giles' books."

"So we are both supposed to change the world."

"What you too?"  He said acting surprised.  She could here him smile.  She also let out small chuckle.  "Slayer stuff?"

"As always."

"Destiny."

"Don't you just hate that word?"

"Beginning to."

"So when can I get more training?"

He smiled wider as he stepped onto the main deck.  "Have to wait until we asses the damage and reboot the system."

"I don't think I'll ever get used to all this computer talk."

He nodded in agreement.  "Neither did I."  

"But now you have a chance at a promotion."

"Wha...oh you mean Eyecon.  Yeah."

She noticed the flicker of sadness in his eyes.  "So when do we land in Zion?"

"Three days."

Frost watched Ivy turn off the EMP and restart the engine.

"Check for other ships in the system, then get us the hell out of here.  Frost, find Twitch on the engine deck.  Help him check the engines."  Eyecon ordered.

Frost did as he was told.    


	9. Roin’s story

Chapter 8

Roin's story

Two more days until they land in Zion and Roin wanted to make sure Faith and Frost were physically and mentally all right.  He told them both at breakfast to come to him for a check up some time during the day.  Frost came in first.

"How are you feeling?"  Roin asked as he gestured for Frost to sit on the table.

"Peachy."  Frost replied with out any emotion.

Roin checked his vitals and reflexes.  "You can talk to me about anything, like a shrink." 

"No thanks."

"Withdraw is hard, Oz knows better than anyone.  When we get to Zion the vampire changelings there may even be able to help."

"Don't need any."  
"Course not."  Just as Roin finished, he wanted to check one more thing.  He pretended to be examining Frost hair.  When he touched the skin around the plug, Frost jumped off the table and faced Roin.

"Am I done?"

Roin nodded his head.  "Thank you, yes."

Frost backed out of the room slamming the door behind him.

Faith came in two hours later covered in oil.

"Hard at work?"

"Ivy forgot to turn off the fuel main, before I tried to tighten it."

Roin smiled as he pointed to the right corner.  "We don't shower much to conserve water, but in this case you have minutes.  There are fresh clothes in the cabinet."

"Thanks," she replied as she tread over.  Roin looked down at the oil prints and sighed.  He picked up a rag and began to mop up the prints.

Three minutes later Faith stepped out fully clothed.  "That soap smells funny."

"It's lye, it's made out of animal fat."

"I do not even want to know."  She said sitting on the table.  "So you were an actual doc before?"

"Surgeon in the ER."

"Handy."

"Certainly can be."

"Is that why you're here?"  

"No, I wasn't pulled for my medical skills."

"Hacking?"

"Yeah."

"Never understood computers."

"I didn't either, but it helped fuel my addiction."

"For hacking?"  Faith sounded confused.

"Drugs."

"Oh."

"We all have our obsessions."

"Don't I know it.  So what kind of drugs?"

"The usual meds."  He walked around the table to get behind her and slipped his hand under her shirt.  He placed his palm over her back.  "Breathe in deeply."  She did.  "Exhale…again.  Well, I started on meds: perks, morphine, codeine, vicodine, whatever I could get my hands on."  He pulled his hand out.  "Okay, one more thing."  He reached up and touched the skin around the plug.  She flinched, but remained on the table.  He walked around to face her.  "One day I was in the med closet when a nurse caught me.  At first I was suspended and sent to rehab, but I kept taking.  They took my license.  In rehab they had this brilliant idea."

"Or so they thought?"

"Yeah, find a healthier addiction, well they called it a hobby.  They sat me in front of a computer and the second they turned their heads a guy next to me showed me how to hack into a hospital database.  The DEA came after me a few months later.  Luckily I had flushed the drugs, so they couldn't pin anything on me.  They did confiscate my computer though.  By this time Eyecon had discovered me, but had a hard time connecting with me without a computer.  Meanwhile I was upgrading to new drugs, Heroin, which I exchanged for medical services.  I was a mess when Eyecon finally found me.  I was online at a library trying to hack the hospital I was fired from.  Just as I got in he found me."

"And offered you a new life?"  She asked as he paused.

"Yeah, I was broke, living on the grate outside the library.  So I jumped at his offer.  It was the ultimate way to quit.  After I was unjacked and found out drugs didn't exist, I was so angry.  Not at the lack of drugs or that machines controlled us, but because I had spent half of my life addicted to nothing."

Faith nodded her head.  'So where does the name Roin come from?"

He smiled fondly.  "When Eyecon found me my screen name was HeroinAddict101.  He told me that most unjacked usually took their hacker name.  I didn't want to call myself that, so I took the name of my worst tormentor, Heroin to remind me of why I'm here."

Faith smiled.

"And you were born with the name Faith?"

"Nah, I just always liked the phrase, 'gotta have faith'."

Roin smiled.  "Well, you're all done."

"So how long have you been out?"

"Um, six years."

"Wow."

"Not really."

"Still, I wasn't even a slayer that long."

"I was under the assumption that it was something you are born with."

"Well, a girl is born a potential, but she doesn't become the slayer until the current slayer dies."

"Oh."

"Well, it used to be that way."  She wrinkled her brow.  "Have you met any other changelings." 

"You mean other than present company?"

She nodded her head.

"Sure the witches in Zion are good healers.  One of them called Mystic believes herself to be pretty powerful.  If you want help with whatever is bothering you ask her."

"Thanks."

"Welcome."

As Faith left, Roin smiled and went back to work.

Frost didn't like his situation.  He went through all this for power, only to discover that everything he is was a lie.  It filled him with such rage.  He wanted to taste blood again.  As he watched El walk by he exploded.  He tackled her and held her down.  She didn't scream like he had expected.  

"What the hell are you doing?"  She asked sounding annoyed as she glared up at him.

He clenched his teeth, wishing for the fangs he didn't have.  Suddenly he was grabbed from behind and thrown into a wall.  His head bounced painfully off the wall.  He looked up to see Kale glaring at him as he blacked out.

Oz checked the harness he attached to himself and then the one he attached to frost.  He needed to fix something on the outer hull of the ship.  This was the last time he was going to play intervention with Frost, who was still unconscious.  Oz pulled the shield of welding mask down, crawled a few feet away from Frost, and got to work.

Frost moaned as he awoke.  His neck was stiff; he blinked looked around.  Everything looked old and dirty.  He spotted Oz a few feet away with a blowtorch, welding something.  He glanced around again and realized that they were on the top of the ship.  The torch turned off, Oz turned around, and lift the shield.

"Where are we?"  Frost asked.

"You don't recognize it?"  Oz asked.

Frost looked around again and shook his head.

"It's the old sewer system."  He said as he went back to work.

Frost glanced around again.  He climbed over to Oz and waited for him to turn the torch off.  Oz did a minute later.  He didn't speak, instead he handed Frost a small torch and goggles.  "I assume you know how to weld."  Oz said as he pointed to his left.  "Just patch the holes."

Frost glared at him, but did as he was told.

 Faith and El watched Oz and Frost from the access door.

"Was Oz always so talkative when you knew him?"  El asked.

"You mean in the sense that he didn't talk?"  Faith asked.

El nodded her head.

"Yeah, really quiet, but his body language and facial expression told a lot."  She caught El's eyes fixed on Frost backside.  "What do you see in him?"

"Frost?"

Faith smirked.

"I don't know, I guess I like bad boys."

Faith climbed down the ladder.  "Over rated."

El closed the hatch and followed.  "If you say so'  She watched Faith stretch her arms.  "You want to jack in?"

"Jack in?"  Faith asked, not understanding El's weird slang.

"Train."

Faith straightened up and smiled.  "I was hoping you'd ask."

Kale put in the disk that El had requested.

"Ready?"  She asked.

"Ready."  The two replied.

Faith found herself in a skate park, she looked around and realized that it was on the roof of a skyscraper.

"After training you can try the jump again."  El said.  She was wearing green  cargo pants and a black tank top with black sneakers.

Faith looked herself over.  She was wearing black flared jeans, black boots, a red tank, and her hair was pulled back into a messy bun.

El hopped off the bench she was sitting on and faced Faith.  "Ready?"

"Shoot."

El smiled wickedly as she started toward Faith.  She tried to punch, Faith blocked.  El punched again Faith block sand went in for her own punch.  El ducked and kicked Faith's legs out from under her.  As Faith fell El smirked.,  Faith rolled back and got to her feet.  El tried to kick Faith in the head, but Faith grabbed her ankle and pushed her backward.  El fell onto a railing.  As she started to fall back over it she put her hands out to catch herself in a handstand.  She curled her legs over the railing, swung her arms out and grabbed Faith's ankles and pulled her down.  As Faith fell, El grabbed the railing and straightened out.  Faith met her with a roundhouse kick.  El caught Faith's foot and spun around.  She let Faith fly into a ramp wall.  El ran and jumped.  She landed on top of the ramp, which was 7 feet above the ground.

"Damn."  Faith breathed, looking up at her.

"Faith, don't think, act.  Free your mind."  El commanded.  She jumped to the other side of the ramp.  "Come up here and get me."

Faith bit her lower lip.  She breathed in and out, then jumped.  As she neared the top she flipped and landed on the ramp.  El and Faith exchanged hand to hand for a couple of minutes.  El's hand shot out and slammed into Faith's chest.  Faith flew backward.  She reached out and grabbed a flagpole.  She swung around and slammed her legs into El who had ran toward her.  El landed hard on her feet.

El smiled slightly as Faith landed next to her.  "Good, want to try the jump again?"

Faith rolled her shoulders.  "Okay."

El led her to the ledge, "want me to go first?"

"Yes, please."

El jumped and landed.

Faith closed her eyes.  She ran and jumped.

"Faith, open your eyes."  She did, she was standing facing El on the opposite building.  "You did it."

"I did."  She smiled.  "Yea, me.  You don't have a shooting range do you?"

"Kale, you heard her!"  The building melted away and into a wooded area.  "Sniper, handguns, rifles, take your pick."  El showed her three stations setup.  "As you end a level, a new one starts.  It's like a virtual reality game, and the targets move starting level 3."

"How many levels?"

"Five."    


	10. Zion

**I typed up this chapter using the computer at school, so if there are any mistakes of any sort, I'm sorry I was rushing.  +Foul language in this chapter, enjoy.** 

Chapter 9

Zion

Frost sat there with Oz for over three hours, patching holes and reattaching things. At the moment Oz was hanging upside down from the underneath of the ship. Frost watched the former werewolf as he swung back and forth. The harness attached to his waist letting his arms hang free past his head, while his legs were pointed upward. Frost felt so confused. Was Oz right? Was his whole life a lie? Nothing made sense. He looked down again and saw his reflection in a pool of water. His reflection, something the matrix told him, he shouldn't be able to see. Oz climbed up his harness. 

"Ready to go back in?" Frost nodded his head and followed Oz up to the top of the ship. 

"Damn." Frost looked down to see Oz holding his right hand, which was bleeding from a gash on his palm. Oz caught Frost's eyes. "You want a taste, don't you?"  Frost was surprised by Oz's bluntness. "I can see it in your eyes." Oz rubbed the blood onto Frost lips.  "Taste," he commanded. Frost licked his lips. The blood tasted salty, not sweet like it should, did. He turned his head and spat the blood out. "See what I mean?" 

"I've such an idiot." Frost said, as he opened the hatch. He ignored the ladder and simply dropped into the ship. Oz watched Frost disappear as he climbed in and closed the hatch behind him. 

The next day the crew sat eating lunch, when Eyecon walked in. He stood at the head of the table and waited for everyone attention. "I know all of you can't wait to get home. I also know you, well those of you who have been with me for a while, have been waiting for my announcement. I know in the past few months I haven't been much of a captain to you. I mentally haven't been fit to. I hope you will forgive me for that and give my successor the same respect you gave me. It has been an honor and my pleasure to work with all of you. Crew, please respect Oz as you have me." The crew smiled. 

"Thank you, sir." Oz replied. 

"We're docking." They heard Ivy yell. 

"Well, I guess I'll see you all in two weeks." Oz said, as he stood and put his empty bowl away. 

Roin shook Oz's hand, walked over to Eyecon and hugged him.  "I'll see you all later." He said as he left the room. Twitch followed Roin lead: shaking Oz's hand, hugging Eyecon, and leaving. Kale hugged Oz and Eyecon. "I'll come visit, I promise." 

She said as Ivy entered the room. Kale pulled away and let Ivy give a hug, too. "It's been an awesome ride."  Ivy said. "Oz, I'll see you in two weeks." With that the sisters left. 

Faith watched as El stood slowly, but ran to Eyecon with tears in her eyes. "I'll miss you." She said hugging him. 

"Take care, and feel free to come visit."  He said returning the hug. 

"You too, and I will." She said through sniffles. She pulled away, smiled at him, and then ran to catch up with Twitch. 

"Faith, Frost, go with El, I'll meet you later." Oz ordered. 

They stood and shook Eyecon's hand, before leaving the room.  They found El waiting for them at central ops. She led them to the hatch, the others were already gone. Faith glanced up there were docking bays with ships both above and below them. 

El led them across the catwalk to a bank of elevators. "You guys are going to stay with Oz and me." El explained as she pushed a button for the elevator. When the doors opened they revealed a very weary looking man and woman. Faith felt a buzz.  It was the man she saw at the Oracle's. "You!" Faith said as she got on. He looked up at confused. "I know you; you're from Morpheus' ship." She said recovering from her sudden outburst. 

"Oh, my name's Neo." 

"I'm Faith." 

The woman made eye contact with El. 

"Trinity, this is Frost." El said. "Frost, Trinity." 

The elevator door opened. Neo stepped out and turned back to Faith.  "It was nice to meet you."  He said to them, but was looking at Faith. 

Trinity smiled at everyone, but Faith who she stared coldly at.  The doors closed in front of her. 

"He gives me the creeps." ¬†Frost commented more to himself than to the others. 

"He's a changeling."  Faith said. 

"How?"  †El asked. 

"The Oracle said that I will be able to sense changelings." 

"Oh."  El replied.  "Well, this is us."  She said as the door opened again. She turned left and opened the sixth door.  "Two beds, one bath, and a living room." 

Frost took a seat at the table.  "So where's Oz?" 

"Every captain is told the codes to the Zion mainframe.  He's gone to receive them." 

Faith suddenly felt a buzz.  She stepped back out into the hall in time to see a teenaged boy walk by.  He turned back and smiled at her.  His skin was tan, his hair in thick dreads with pieces of metal twisted into it, and his face was shaped like and upside down tear drop.  He looked like he was wearing eyeliner, but she had a feeling that he wasn't, that it was natural.  He faced her completely, smiling like Cheshire cat, mischievously. "Hello, slayer."  He spoke, and then continued on his way. 

"And you are?"  She asked regaining her composure. He kept walking.  "Just wait, the answers will come."  He said as he disappeared into an elevator. 

El appeared in the doorway.  "Faith?" 

"Who, who's that?" 

"Sorry missed him."  El stepped back as Faith entered the room.  "What did he look like?" 

"Tan, your height, dreads." 

"Oh, Ra." 

"Like the Egyptian god?" 

"I think, Oz knows him better." 

"That's what he said." 

Oz couldn't believe he was captain.  He left Eyecon at his room after he received the codes.  Eyecon was a good man, he would miss him.  He pressed the elevator button.  When the door opened, he laughed at who was inside. 

"Oz!"  The boy hugged him.  He pulled away and patted his shoulder.  "Captain Oz?" 

"Good to see you again, Ra." 

"I met your slayer." 

"Not mine, everyone's." 

"She's cute." 

Oz raised an eyebrow.  "Not the word I would have picked." 

"Dangerous, sexy, witty." 

"First two," Oz said smiling.  Oz tinted his head to the side, in an animalistic way.  "You like her." 

"I get this vibe from her, she's special." 

Oz nodded his head. 

"Yeah." 

"Can I join you?" 

"Why so you can to keep asking me questions about Faith?"  Oz said giving Ra a mischievous smile. 

Ra slapped Oz's arm. 

Faith was doing push ups when she felt that buzz again.  She lost concentration and plopped onto the floor.  Frost snorted.  The door opened as Faith sat up.  It was Oz and the changeling from the hall. 

"Hello again."  He said to Faith. 

Oz gave Ra a look, but he just smiled back.  "Faith, Frost, this is Ra, Ra, Faith."   

Ra shook their hands and smiled.  "A vampire and a slayer, you have excellent taste, Oz." 

"How do you know what we are?"  Frost asked. 

"I can sense changelings." 

Faith narrowed her eyes at that statement. 

"So are we going to go down and get some dinner?"  Oz asked. 

El stood up.  "Finally." 

Faith smiled, as Frost smirked.  El may act like an adult some times, but she was still a 17 year old.  She led them out, down the hall, and past the elevators they had used early to a new bank of elevators.  The elevator was there waiting for them, when El pushed the down button. 

"We could eat in our rooms if we choose to, but after being on the ship for so long it nice to be around people." 

"Meaning Oz wants to show you two off."  Ra said. 

The doors opened to reveal a large cavern.  People were everywhere, both unjacked and Zion born.  Faith felt a huge buzz; she suddenly understood what her watcher meant all those years ago about sensing vampires in a crowd. 

"OZ!"  Two voices exclaimed. 

The group looked up to see a boy and a girl rushing toward them.  They both had shoulder length hair.  The boy was blonde and the girl was a brunette.  They stopped in front of Oz. 

"Party tonight!"  She exclaimed. 

"Huge, we set up drums.  He added. 

Oz smiled slightly.  "Guys." 

They froze when they saw Faith and Frost. 

"Company?"  He asked. 

"New guys."  She added. 

"Faith, Frost, this is Axel (gestures to the girl) and Rose (points to the boy).  Guess who they admire?" 

Frost rolled his eyes, as Faith arched an eyebrow. 

"When were they unjacked?"  Faith asked. 

"Six years ago." 

"So you haven't heard the new album?"  Faith asked. 

Oz shook his head scolding.  "Faith, don't." 

"Don't what?"  Rose asked. 

"Nothing," Oz said.  "What's the celebration for tonight?" 

"The one has been discovered."  Axel said proudly.  

"That will be a small party."  Ra remarked.  "Who found him, Morpheus?"  He mocked. 

"What's the deal with the one?"  Frost asked. 

"He is supposed to a savior."  Ra said, like he was describing a children's story.  "I always hoped that the one would be a slayer."  He said glancing at Faith. 

"Thanks, I think." 

As they continued toward the dining hall, more and more people came over to congratulate Oz or chat with Ra.   Zionians and changelings were in awe of the first unjacked slayer.  People watched the group of changelings with wonder and awe.  Faith noticed groups of people huddled along the wall.  Some seemed to be trading while others were eagerly talking over pieces of machinery.  As she walked by she caught bits of conversations. 

"No, no, you have to oil the gears, and then tighten this line." 

"I just don't understand it, yesterday it worked fine.  Now I can't even get the engine to turn on." 

"Did you check the boiler?" 

"Faith?"  She heard Frost suddenly ask. 

"What?"  She asked as she turned to see that the group was a few feet ahead of her.  "Sorry."  She muttered as she caught up to them.  "This place is just so...big." 

"Sensory overload."  El said.  "Understandable, my first time here Eyecon spent an hour trying to find me." 

"He found her fighting with programmers."  Oz whispered to Faith. 

Faith smiled as she looked up to see a tall, lanky, pale-white man white long white-blonde hair walk up to Oz. 

"Oz, Ra."  His voice was strong and raspy.  "Tomorrow 11am, meeting of Changelings, intros. and discussion of the One situation."  He spoke like a soldier on a mission. 

"Trans, calm down."  Ra said, placing his hand on the man's arm. 

"Sorry, it's just she's so full of energy."  He said as his line of sight trailed over to Faith. 

"Sorry about him, he's an empathic ghost."  Oz said. 

"Empathic?"  Faith asked. 

"He can sense people's emotions."  Frost explained. 

"Oh," Faith held out her hand.  "Faith," he took it and shook it. 

"Trans," he said trying to hold off a shiver.  "You're very powerful." 

"Thanks, Trans, does that stand for something." 

"Translucent."  He replied, glaring at Ra. 

"What?"  Ra asked innocently.  "I didn't say anything." 

"No, but you usually do.  For someone your age, you're quite immature." 

"Hey, I'm an immortal 18 year old, forever stuck in the same body with the same hormones." 

"Yeah, but you're over 300." 

"Your point, Mr. Transsexual." 

"Translucent, ass." 

"Whelp."

"Are they always like this?"  Faith asked.

Oz nodded his head.

As Ra and Trans continued to bicker, Frost turned to Oz.  "He's 300?"

Oz shook his head no.  "Older, but he says that 300 is a nice even number.  Truth is he has no idea how old he is.  In the matrix, he's supposed to be thousands of years old, but..."  Oz raised his right eyebrow punctuating the end of the sentence.

"Right everything you know is a lie."  Frost said dictating the sentence.

"Dick!"  Trans exclaimed.

"Mine's bigger."  Ra retorted.

"FOOD NOW!"  El commanded suddenly, making everyone jump.  She ignored them as she grabbed Faith's arm and pulled her forward.  She leaned closer to Faith.  "Last time they got so far as trying to get me to measure which was bigger."   

Faith laughed with raised eyebrows.  "Seriously?"

El nodded her head.

As they entered the next cavern, Faith gasped.  If there were a lot of people in the last cavern there were hundreds in this one.  Faith didn't think she had ever seen so many people.  El guided her to the right, where there were goop dispensers.  Next to the dispensers were tables set up where people were trying to get people to try their latest recipes.

"I wouldn't, it's usually just goop with seasoning."  El said, seeing where Faith was looking.

The two grabbed some food and went to find a seat.  The large metal table reminded Faith of the prison mess hall, but the stool attached to the table were each crafted artistically different.  El spotted two seats amongst a group of boys.

"El!"  They yelled when they saw who was about to sit with them.

El smiled, "guys!"  She placed her stuff on the table and hugged each of the six guys.  Afterward she turned to Faith, who was still standing watching them.  "Sorry, guys, Faith, Faith, guys."

"Faith?"  A skinny, tall, brunette asked.

"Yeah."  Faith replied, taking a seat.

"You're the slayer, right?"  He asked.

Faith glared at El.

"Don't look at me like that, I didn't do anything."  El squealed.

"Nah, not El."  He said.  "Roin told me about you.  I'm Bones, by the way.  Word of advice, watch out for Morpheus."

"Why?"  El asked.

"Morph thinks that the slayer is a myth."  Said a muscular, blonde sitting next to Bones.

"And yet he believes in the one," another scoffed.

"Hi, I'm Lex."  The brunette teen sitting to Faith's right said introducing himself.

"Hi."  She said as she shook his outstretched hand.  "So what is Morpheus' deal?"  She asked.

"He's on a war path."  Ra said.

"Why?  What did I do?"  Oz said.

"Prove him wrong."  Trans said.

"About Faith?"  Frost asked sounding confused.

"Yeah, it's stupid; really, we say there is no One, while he says slayer doesn't exist and that changelings are fake."  Ra explained.

Suddenly the cavern grew quiet.  Oz looked up to see that Morpheus, Trinity, Tank, and Neo had entered.  Neo looked like he was about to pee his pants.  The crew got their food and began to move through the hall for a seat.  Tank went to sit with a group of Zionians.  Oz saw the three empty seats next to him, and smiled.  Ra narrowed his eyes, seeing the smile.  Oz stood and caught the eyes of everyone in the room.  "Morpheus, sit here."


	11. Dreams & Hidden Meanings

Chapter 10

Dreams & Hidden Meanings

If the cavern was quiet before, it became deafening after Oz spoke.  Trinity glanced at Oz and then to her captain.  Morpheus was statue-like still.  Neo glanced around the room and then moved toward Oz.  He sat down next to Frost and looked up at his captain.  Morpheus lost his resolve and moved toward Oz.

Faith watched as the room changed the second Morpheus' butt hit the chair.  A wave of voices pounded the still air as people continued their conversations.

"So what is his problem?"  She asked again.

"Rumor has it the Oracle told him that there is the one and then there is the Chosen One.  He will discover the one, but the Chosen one will not make it easy for people to believe in the one.  He was determined to find the one, before…" Lex trailed off.

"Before a slayer was unjacked."  Faith finished.  "I still don't quite get it."

"The chosen one will have strength outside the matrix, while the one may not."  Bones added.

Faith blinked, and held up her spoon.  She handed it to Bones who was sitting across from her.  He seemed confused, especially after she spoke.  "Throw this at my face."

"What?"

"Please just do it."  The boys and El all looked at her mystified.  "Back up a little."

Bones pushed his chair back and threw the spoon like a dart.

SLAP!

The room grew quiet at the sudden violent noise.  Bones jumped out of his chair, as did Lex.  Faith's hands were held palms pressed together in front of her face.  She lowered her hands over the table, pulled her palms apart and the spoon fell with a clank onto the table.  She heard the room fill with questions of what just happened.  Ra smiled, El was in shock, and Morpheus was seething as he suddenly stormed from the room.  Trinity followed, but Neo stayed.  He stood and looked directly at Faith confused. She smiled as she looked from Neo to Oz.  Oz stood and walked straight over the two tables between them to stand next to her, he gave her a questioning look.

"I…I" Faith was at a loss for words.

"Let's go for a walk."  He simply said.

She followed him out into another new cavern.  Neo sat looking at Frost and Ra.  Frost hissed at him.  Neo's eyes widened as he bolted in the direction of Oz and Faith.  Ra and Trans' laughter followed.

"What was that?"  Oz asked once they were in the smaller empty cavern.

"A test."  Faith said.

"Explain."

"They, Bones, said that the Chosen one would have powers outside the matrix.  I needed to know."

Oz's face softened.  "I'm sorry; its just Morpheus has more power in the Council than I do.  And I'm new…"

"And wigging out?"  Faith offered.

He nodded his head.

"How?  How did you do that?"  Faith and Oz turned to see Neo staring at them.  

Faith cocked an eyebrow at Oz.  "What?"  She asked innocently.

"The…spoon, how?"

Faith and Oz glanced at each other, neither sure if they should speak to him.

"She's been chosen."  Morpheus voice called out, as he entered the small cavern.  "Right?"

Faith watched the captain warily as she realized that he was mocking her.  "I'm the slayer."  She said with pride.

"Of what?  Vampires?"

"Well, if you want to get technical, yes, I'm Faith the Vampire Slayer."

Oz could see that dark side of Faith appear in here eyes.  "I think we should all just calm down."  Oz said.

"Why, are we afraid of confrontation?"  Morpheus asked.

"You do not want to threaten Faith."  Oz replied.

"Morpheus, I don't want to fight her, not here, not now."  Neo suddenly spoke up.

Morpheus noticed Neo's panicked look.  He glared at Oz and Faith and then left with Neo.

"I am going to have to fight him, aren't I?"  Faith asked.

"Probably."

That night Faith dreamed for the first time since being unjacked.  She saw amber yellow eyes with black outlining them.  They faded away to reveal Frost with blood dripping down his chin.  A drop fell from his chin and landed on a metal surface.  Red coloring darkened to black with neon green ones and zeros floating toward the top as the drop grew into a puddle.  The ones moved together and molded into a single large one.  It grew within the dark black puddle until it was about the size of Faith's hand and then it split into two.  The 1 on the right changed into a pale white male fetus with plugs.  The 1 on the left transformed into a tan skinned female fetus without plugs.  In the female's right hand was a small stake and in her left was a silver cross that molded into a computer chip.  The amber eyes appeared again, and again the amber irises changed from amber to black with neon green ones and zeros.  "He holds your origins in his eyes."  Tara's voice echoed.

"Tara?"  Faith asked.  She found herself in a barren desert, dressed in a long, flowing black dress.  The first slayer stood before her, and Tara to her left.  "Tara, I don't understand."  Faith said.

The first slayer trotted over to Faith.  She put her right hand on Faith's chest over her heart.  Then she placed her left hand on the back of Faith's neck, where the plug would be.  They were now standing nose to nose with each other.

"This is heart," the first slayer rasped, "heart of slayer good, true, strong, lasts through time."

"In every generation there is a chosen one, she alone will hunt…" Giles and Wesley's voices echoed. 

"This metal," the slayer said rubbing Faith's neck.  "Evil, false, cold, man's mistake, make slayer vic-tim."

"The slayer is a symbol of hope in the dark of night."  Tara said.

"And the One?"  Faith asked. 

"Slayer always female.  One is machine made false hope from false world, alwaysss male."  The slayer spoke as she continued to rub.  She pulled her hand away and held it out to Faith, as she took a step back.  In it was the plug, Faith watched as it melted, changing into blood and dripped from her hand.

"You can break the cycle.  He is the one, but he can be different if you help him.  Unite your kind and show them the truth."  Tara spoke.

"Which is?"

"In his eyes."  Tara whispered.

Faith gasped as her eyes popped open.  Her face felt wet, she stumbled in the dark over to the bathroom.  As she flicked on the light, she caught her reflection in the mirror.  For a split second she saw the first slayer's face, she blinked and her own reflection stared back at her.  On her cheeks were crosses of dripping blood.  She leaned closer to the mirror and stared at her eyes.  They looked so old, not old as in elderly, but old as in old soul.  As though the life she was leading was a reincarnation.  'It's the slayer in me.'  She thought.  "You're in here aren't you?"  She whispered.

"Faith?"  Oz mumbled as he stepped into the bathroom.  "Faith, your cheeks."  He wiped his right index finger through the top of the bloody cross.  "There's no scar."

"No, I guess there wouldn't be."  She said distractedly.

"What?"

"What, oh, it's from a dream."

"A slayer dream."

She nodded her head.

"About?"

"My origins, mine, Neo's, and…" She stopped and looked down at him.

He looked at her encouragingly.

"And Ra."

"Ra?"

"That's what she said."

"Who?"

"Tara."

Oz's brow wrinkled in worry and confusion.

Frost awoke the next morning to find El laying next to him and staring at him.  He could feel her fingers brushing over his fuzzy head.  She looked down at his face and was surprised to see him looking at her.  As he opened his mouth to speak, El jumped up and bolted from the room.

"El, wait!"  He yelled as he scrambled after her.  He ran into the living room to find Faith and Oz sitting talking.  "Have you seen El?"

Faith looked up at him, there were blood red crosses on her cheeks.  He stared at her confused, all words fled from his mind.

"She said something about breakfast as she left."  Oz said.  "Frost, stay and eat here.  We have a meeting to attend in a few minutes."

"For what?"  He asked as he sat and took the round stone bowl from Oz.  His eyes never left Faith's face.

"Changelings."

"Oh."  Frost said as he ate a spoonful.  "What did you do?"  He asked gesturing to her cheeks.

"I had a dream."

"How bad was it?"

"Confusing and cryptic."

"Hate those."

"Should I wash this off or leave it?"  Faith asked.

"Leave it."  Both Oz and Frost said simultaneously.

She raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"Sorry."  Oz said.  "You should leave it.  You're the slayer."  Oz seemed unable to come with anything better.

Frost rolled his eyes.  "Right, cryptic boy.  Faith, you got a message from whatever fucking higher powers.  It's probably a message for all the changelings.  Hence it being in blood."

Oz nodded his head in agreement.

"Okay, I'll leave it.  So what did you do to El?"

"Woke up."

Oz looked confused, while Faith smiled.

About a half hour later, Oz led Faith and Frost into a new cavern with large metal doors.  In the middle of the cavern was a large cubical shape stone, it was about 3 feet tall and 4 wide.  There were already about 20 people inside, including Ra and Trans.  Ra looked up at her entrance and blinked wide eyed at her new look.  There were a few murmurs as people noticed her.  Ra was talking to a couple, which he was now leading over to them.

"Oz, Faith, Frost, this is Sickle (he gestured to the man) and Newt (the woman).  "Sickle, Newt, Captain Oz, Frost the vampire, and Faith the Vampire Slayer.  Ra said with bravado.

Newt was short about 5'5", she had long ebony black hair that ended at her hips.  Her oval face was accented with her piercing yellow-brown eyes.  Sickle on the other hand looked fierce.  He was about six feet and slender.  His face was very angular accented by his silvery-blue eyes.  His hair was short and styled like a crew cut, except the front was slightly longer.

"Why have I never met you before?"  Oz asked.

"Our ship is the Outlander, the only ship that does not dock here for more than a day.  We monitor the surface activity."  Sickle replied in a cold, crisp voice.

Newt stepped closer to Oz.  "You essence is strong.  Stronger than you know."

Oz looked at her with interest.

She turned to Frost.  "Yours begs for redemption, but your mind is not ready for that path.  Time grows short, act fast."

She then stepped in front of Faith and placed her hand on Faith's chest over her heart.  Newt gasped as her eyes fluttered shut.  Faith already knew her path.  She felt the first slayer stirring inside.  Newt's eyes popped open as she began breathing heavily.

"She…she's the true slayer, our savior, our (her eyes met Faith's) one."

"Newt, what did you see?"  Sickle asked quietly and protectively.

"Part of her essence is older than this world, older than the false world."

Faith caught Ra's amber eyes.  He looked away afraid she would see into his soul.  He turned and watched as a tall, lean, muscular, black woman stepped onto the stone.  He eyes were surprisingly red.  As she held up her arms above her head, everyone in the room became quiet and turned to her.  Everyone moved around to create a large circle including everyone; behind them the large doors were closed.  Once everyone was standing shoulder-to-shoulder watching her attentively, she lowered her arms.  Faith noticed that she wasn't young; she looked to be about 60 years old.

"For those of you who are new, I am Mystic.  I was elected your leader three years ago and was the first unjacked demon. (She glanced around the room as she spoke.)  And obliviously not the last."  Smiles appear around the room.  "Our newest arrivals include Frost a vampire, and a first for all of us, Faith the Vampire Slayer."  The quiet room erupted in applause and whispers.  Mystic raised her right hand and the room became quiet once again.  "We welcome all of you, hopefully you will all bring something to the fight that was sorely needed.  Our other announcement includes the promotion of one of our own.  Oz, as captain of your ship we bless you and your crew.  Blessed Be."

"Blessed be."  Oz replied.

"We also have another…" Mystic was interrupted by the noise of the door being opened from the outside.  Everyone turned and watched as Morpheus, Trinity, and Neo walked in.

Mystic became annoyed.  "This is a private gathering for changelings only."

Before Morpheus could speak, Faith broke from the circle.  "Mystic, I know it may not be my place, but if anyone should leave it is Morpheus and Trinity only, Neo is one of us."

Mystic raised an eyebrow.  "You heard her, Morpheus.  If anyone knows the truth it would be the slayer."

"It is not true, he's not a changeling; he is the one!"

The room exploded with laughter.  Neo ducked his head as even Mystic smirked.  She turned in a circle on the platform looking at those who were behind her.  She turned back to look at Ra, and then to Faith.  As she stepped from the platform, the laughter ceased.  She stood face to face with Morpheus.

"Morph, how do you explain this?"  She said holding Faith's chin lightly.

"She cut herself and painted it on."

Mystic narrowed her eyes into slits as her hand dropped away from Faith.  "Why do you have to be so closed minded, Morph?"

"No proof."

The room filled with glared, hisses, and low growls.  "I believe your room full of proof chooses to disagree."

"Morpheus," Neo hissed.

"We came to propose a challenge."  Morpheus announced to the whole room.   If Morpheus expected a response he didn't get one except glares (including from Faith).  "The skeptics want proof.  So I propose a fight in a program of the best programmers choice, the strongest changeling vs. Neo."    

**Thanks for the reviews.  In an answer to the comments I received: this takes place directly after the first movie and will bleed into the 2nd, I probably won't see the 3rd until it comes out on video.  It will depend on how the story progresses, whether or not this will follow into the 3rd.  And as for the second comment: this is less about the Buffyverse, it more about Faith & Oz's view of it.  And since I didn't take the matrix for face value your attempt at an insult didn't faze me.**  


	12. Challenge Accepted

Chapter 11

Challenge Accepted

The changelings watched Morpheus warily.

"Well, then how many people agree to Faith?"  Ra asked the room.

Everyone held up there hands in a unanimous vote.  Faith was a bit star struck, as she turned to see Neo swallow nervously.

"What type of fight is involved?"  Oz asked watching Faith and Neo.

Morpheus looked as though he thought of that.  "What do you mean type?"

"Well, are they just going to fight to the death?" Frost asked.

"Certainly not!"  Mystic objected.

A tall brunette man stepped forward, "as a member of the council, I know you have not consoled them on this matter."

"I wanted to talk to you all first."  Morpheus defended.  "You know how the council is they refuse to let any challenges take place in Zion.  With the One involved and the changelings I thought we would have a better chance at this."

"Any programs?"  A teenaged girl asked.

"From whomever the council chooses."  Morpheus stated.

A few murmurs drifted through the room.  Mystic watched Faith.  "Faith?"  Faith looked up at her.  "Do you accept the challenge?"

"Only when I know the terms," Faith said strongly.

"Smart girl, the council has a meeting today.  You, Oz, Morpheus, Neo, and I will attend. Strike will present our case."

Faith nodded her head, as mystic stepped back onto the platform.  "Well, Morpheus, we let you speak, your business here is done.  You and Trinity can let yourselves out, and Neo, you are welcome to stay."

Neo joined the circle as Morpheus and Trinity left.  Mystic continued on with the meeting.

El, Bones, and Lex watched with interest as Morpheus entered the large cavern with only Trinity at his side.  He looked pissed, while Trinity was completely unreadable.

"Wonder what that was all about?"  Lex said.

"Morpheus discovered that Mystic thinks he's a joke?"  Bone suggested.

"Wouldn't be surprised," El added.

"So what's it like being a ship with changelings?"  Lex asked.

"Dude, you should totally sign up for one!"  Bones exclaimed.  "Lava is hot and I don't mean sexually.  She's demon that is completely made of molten rock."

"El, comment," Lex asked.

"Well, Oz is always cool, especially when he transforms into a wolf in the matrix.  But I don't remember Oz having as many spaz attacks as Frost.  The guy is mentally damaged."

"And you like him."  Bones stated.

"Do not."

"You so do."  Lex said watching her blush.

"Yeah, well you're totally sparking for Faith."  El said defending herself.

"Sparking?"  Lex asked.

"Yeah, ya know when you look at someone like you have sparks in your eyes."  Bones explained.

"You're trippin; I don't have a thing for her."

"Course not."  El said with a smile.

"So what's up with the crosses her cheeks?"  Lex asked.

"Not sure, she went to bed fine and woke up with them."

"Scary dream?" Bones asked.

"Possibly."  

Faith and oz were able to get some lunch before the council meeting.  Ra and Trans promised to keep their eyes on frost in the mean time.

"Should I be nervous?"  Faith asked Oz as they entered the auditorium-shaped room.

"No, Morpheus on the other hand should be terrified."  Oz said as he led her down to the first row behind the table where Strike sat.  "Challenges are not a common practice in Zion.  Challenging shipmates is one thing, but we believe that all fight should be geared toward the machines."

"Good point," she watched people enter.  "So what does the council think of changelings?"

"They're accepted as much as everyone else."  Oz put a supportive hand on her shoulder.

Faith felt a buzz as Morpheus and Neo walked in.  Neo glanced up at her nervously.

"What am I worrying about?  He's more scared than I am."  Faith whispered to Oz.

"You're used to the pressures of a slayer, he new to it all."

Faith watched as the council walked in.  They stood for a moment, before taking their seats.  The man in the very middle spoke.  "Strike, I believe you have some business that needs addressing."

Strike stood and nodded at Faith and Oz and then at Neo and Morpheus.  "Council, please note Captains Oz and Morpheus."

"Captain Oz?"  A woman on the council asked.

As they spoke Oz Faith down to the floor as Morpheus and Neo did the same.  "I am Eyecon's replacement on the Apollo's Chariot."  Oz explained.

She smiled.

"Morpheus, I believe you should explain."  Strike said.

"I have found the one."  Everyone shifted in their seats as a few muttered to each other.  "And from the looks on all your faces I can tell you are as doubtful as my crew was.  I request a challenge to prove that Neo here is the One."

"Who?" The woman asked.

Faith stepped forward; she could feel the council eyeing her.  "I am Faith the slayer, and I have accepted the challenge."

More whispers filled the room.

"The slayer?"  A councilman asked.  "Of what?"

"Well, in the matrix I slayed vampires and demon, but here well I guess machines."

"Are you willing to fight Neo?"  Another council member asked.

"I have been fighting all my life, doing this no jacked in person can do.  If Morpheus believes he has found the one, then it is only right that the Chosen One fight him."

A man in the back stood, 'I have heard of the legend of the slayer, she is the right people to fight the one."

The councilman in the middle spoke, "we will take a five minute recess to decide."

As the council filed out, Faith watched Neo.  The man seemed confident, but at the same time scared.  She left Oz's side and stepped over to Neo.

"You okay with all this?"  She asked him.

His eyes met hers, moved down to her cheeks, and then back up to her eyes.  "Sort of, it's a lot to take in.  You?"

"I'm used to all this crap.  Although usually the only challenges I get are from blood hungry vamps or my pissed off sister."  She said referring to Buffy, knowing that he wouldn't understand the idea of multiple slayers.  "You?"

"I defeated an agent," he spoke in a hushed tone as though he did not want anyone to know.

"Wow, really, the only ones I've faced was when I was still in the matrix."

"How did you do?"

"Ok, but I ended up in cuffs."

He had been looking around the room as she spoke.  "I understand why Morpheus believes that I am the one, but is all of this necessary?"

"Do you believe?"

"That I'm the one?"  He tilted his head from side to side.  "Yeah."

"Well, these people don't.  Changelings think that I'm their one and everyone else has given up on the idea.  By defeating me you'll prove that you're it, him, the one, the savior, or it will just make for some good entertainment."  She smiled.

He caught the sparkle in her eyes and smiled, too.  "Yeah, but how do you know you're not the one?"

"Cause I'm the slayer, I've already been chosen." 

"What's the difference?"  He asked as the council walked back in.

"I'll tell you when I figure it out."  She left and rejoined Oz.

Once everyone was seated the councilman in the center stood.  "We will allow the challenge.  BUT it will take place in central ops; monitors will be set up in the main hall and the cafeteria so that everyone can watch.  Captains, tell your operators and programmers that the council requests 3 programs formatted in matrix style environments: a jump program, a combat zone, and a combat zone with formatted agents.  The challenge will take place in a week at 10 am Zion time.  Neo, Faith, good luck.  Morpheus, Oz, no pressure, this is a challenge, not war.  No dirty fighting; you're dismissed."  Oz, Faith, Neo, and Morpheus left, as the council continued their business.  

"So, good luck."  Faith told Neo as she hugged him.  As their chests touched he saw a flash from her of the two embryos.  She saw him dive head first into Agent Smith.  To everyone else they gasped loudly as their eyes turned white.  Morpheus reached out to touch them.

"No!"  Oz pushed his hand away.  "You do not want to get trapped inside her mind."

Faith pushed Neo away first.  She blinked rapidly trying to clear her eyes.  "You died."  She said as the white faded from her eyes.

"You've killed."  He added.

"Jekyll and Hyde?"  Oz asked.

"More like Two-face, same coin," Faith replied.

Morpheus and Neo stared at them confused.

"So has El always been a spaz?"  Frost asked.

"What?"  Ra asked with a smile as he glanced at the gadgets inventors were displaying.

"She's been out for awhile, so I suspect one of you would know something about her."

"Well, Eyecon unplugged her when she was 12, she was a computer genius.  She designs training programs, mostly for vehicles.  She's actually lucky to even be on a ship.  You have to be 18, but she and Twitch attached like brother and sister.  So either he stayed or she went.  And she's one of the toughest fighters I've ever seen; agents seem to love to pick fights with her."  Trans said fondly.

"Yeah, that's how I met her.  They chased her into my club."  Frost said.

"She's had her close calls, but Twitch always comes through for her."  Trans added.

Ra smirked.  "Not that he makes it easy for her.  He usually drops in at the last possible second.  Mostly so he can scold her later."

"Why do you want to know?"  Trans asked.

"No reason."  Frost said.

"If you want to talk to Twitch, we can take you."  Ra suggested.

"No, that's fine, I'm just asking."

Ra smirked and Trans smiled.

Faith watched Neo and Morpheus head toward their own destinations.  

"Faith, how special is he?"  Oz asked in a low tone.

"As a changeling, he's powerful, but all the changelings here aren't using all of their power."  She turned to face him.  "Neo is special; I think I'll know more after I fight him."

"So what's the question?"

"Changelings believe strongly in themselves, but does magic exist here?"

"The spell, the slayers spell?"  Oz asked.

"Yeah, I caught the spoon, so how do we know or not that the spell worked out here."

"We could ask Newt."

"The soul reader?"

Oz took Faith's hand and led her in the opposite direction. 

They found Newt in a large central cavern talking to Sickle.  They both turned to see Faith and Oz walking toward them.  Sickle's eyes softened slightly as he spoke to Newt and then left.

"Faith, Oz, hello," She greeted them.

Faith smiled feeling a buzz from her.  "I have a question about a spell performed in the matrix."

Newt shivered.  "Don't like the magic there, too unstable, too unpredictable, cold."

"Right, so say a spell was cast to affect a large group of people on a large scale.  Could it affect the real world?"

"Possible, what spell?"

"It affected the slayer line."

"Sounds dangerous, the slayer line is a key figure, because she's real.  She existed long before the matrix at the beginning of civilization.  The few of us who had been unjacked since the beginning of Zion know that changelings and magic have evolved.  Example, we know that we have created a new breed or generation of vampires."

Faith's brow creased.  "You mean?"

"Mystic's lover is an unjacked vampire.  Their son, who is currently on a ship, is by nature a vampire.  He was born with pale skin, silvery-blue eyes, and fangs, but he doesn't need blood to survive.  He's also agile and faster than most.  So if you're asking are you still the slayer than: yes."

"Actually the spell was to expand the slayer line."

"Expand it?"

"Any girl, who could be the slayer, will be a slayer."

"No more potentials."

"Nope."

"Interesting, well to know if it worked we'll have to ask around.  Because you are not truly part of the spell, we can't use you as a conductor."

"So how will we know who is a slayer?"  Oz asked quietly, looking at Faith.

"Speed, agility, quick healing, strange dreams, when I was 16 I had dreams about other slayers: maids, princesses, a civil war soldier, a medieval knight, and a whore in China."

"So what should we ask people about?"  Newt asked.

Faith paused; she closed her eyes, and tried to feel the people in the room like she could the changelings.  She could feel Oz, Newt, and a few other random changelings, but that was about it.  She kept her eyes closed as she answered.  "Ask around if any girls between 16 and 21 have experienced sudden bursts of speed, agility, or power outside the matrix.  Or if anyone is on a ship with a girl who wakes up screaming about monsters."  She said slowly opening her eyes.

Oz and Newt were watching her.  Oz nodded his head.

Neo sat on the other side of the large cavern watching her.  Trinity looked at Neo and then glared coldly at the woman he was staring at.  She knew what Morpheus thought of changelings, but she had never actually watched one fight.  If Neo really was the one, then what was Faith and why were all the changeling treating her like she was the one?  Faith was standing next to Oz and another woman with her eyes closed talking.  Trinity looked over at Neo and watched him shiver slightly.

"Cold?"  She asked.

"No, its Faith, I can feel her."

Trinity didn't like that response.  "Feel her, how?"

"Her power is like a ghost passing through you."

"Is that good?"

"For me, no, but I think she can feel me too."

Trinity glanced back at Faith, who had opened her eyes and was staring at Neo.  Faith's eyes traveled over the Trinity's and saw the coldness there.  Faith turned and left the cavern with Oz in tow.  Trinity felt Neo move next to her.  She turned to see him about to follow Faith.  "Where are you going?" 

"I need to ask her something."

Trinity wanted to stop him, but she knew her jealousy was petty.  He turned and kissed her.

"I love you, Tin.  She just understands the burden I will have to bear."

Trinity nodded her head.  Silly, she was being silly.  But worry was still creeping its way into her mind.  


	13. Sometimes You Need To Fight

Chapter 12

Sometimes You Need To Fight

Frost watched the frenzy in the caverns as excited programmers lined up to show the council their best work.  News had spread fast since yesterday when the challenge was announced.  Even though he could only understand half of what they were saying he could understand why an excited El had ripped him away from Ra and Trans.  This was a chance for her to get recognized for being truly special.

"There's an environment like you wouldn't believe."  A boy was telling El.

"Yeah, I saw, he figured the code for rain, so you can battle the elements."  El added, but mine's still better.

Frost watched as three men entered the cavern.  One he figured was a council member, because the other two were carrying a foldable table and chair.  Once they made it to the end of the cavern the council member stood on the chair and waited for silence.

"We need three programs: a jump program, a combat zone with weapons, and another combat zone with formatted agents.  Today we will review the jump programs, tomorrow the combat zones, and Thursday the combat with agents.  If you are chosen for one of the three programs you can not try for the others.  Thank you."

"So?"  Frost asked El.

"My jumps are kinda crappy, I'll come back tomorrow."  She replied.

He nodded his head as he followed her out.  "This is a big deal, huh?"  He asked her.

"Huge, I mean people aren't allowed to combat unless for training.  I mean I always thought the one was like a fairy tale, but two of them is just awesome."

"I meant for you."

"Oh, yeah.  Well, I love being on a ship and all, but I would rather work here in Zion a as central programmer."

Frost looked around the cavern full of people.  Ivy was rushing toward them.

"So, El?"  She asked.

"Tomorrow, today's jumps."

"Oh, hi, Frost."  She said flirtatiously. 

Frost smiled, "Ivy, what's up?"

"Nothing," she glanced at El and smiled.  "El, I'm going to borrow Frost, okay?"

El opened her mouth to object, but Ivy had already grabbed his hand and was pulling him away.  El closed her mouth and sighed.  She turned and back trudged back to her suite.

"Faith?"

Faith turned to see Neo following her.  "Neo, what's wrong?"

"Wrong, nothing I just wanted to talk."

"About?"  He didn't seem to know, but she got the hint.  "You're scared, though not completely doubtful, just confused."

"How?"

"I've been there."

"I'm just getting so much pressure, does it ever get easier?"

"No."  He hadn't expected that.  "Look if you want comfort go back to your girlfriend.  I've been through hell and back, the only advice I can give is tha being bad isn't as fun as it seems."

Neo was confused.  "But you said…"

"What?  That I'm the slayer, the one out here is different, than the slayer in there."  With that she walked away.

He turned to go back to Trinity, when someone slammed into him.  He looked down at the girl with tears streaming down her face.  "I'm sorry."

"Whatever."  She huffed as she roughly pushed him away.  He watched as she pushed by Faith.  

"El?"  Faith called after the girl.  "El, what did he do?"  Neo watched as Faith ran after the girl.

Frost knew Ivy liked him, but it wasn't until she led him into a small empty cavern that he realized how much.  She pushed him up against the stony wall and began kissing him.  As a vampire women were always throwing themselves at him, but he used to use them, drain them, and toss them aside.  He knew her intentions were pure, but he didn't know what to do with those intentions.  She pulled away for air and stared at him.

"What's wrong?"

"I…I", he pushed her away.  "I can't."  He ran, not caring or knowing where he went he just had to get away.  Smack!  He looked up to see, he had to run into a large pale skinned man.  The man pushed Frost back.  He fell onto his butt.

"Fang, leave him."  Ra's voice called out.

"Fang?"  Frost asked.

The man opened his mouth to reveal enlarged canines.

 Frost gasped, "how?"

"I'm pure, like the ones you killed."  Fang told him, his voice sounded horse and wispy.  "Deacon Frost, so I hear a wolf pulled you out."

Frost stood, "so?"

The man laughed, it was a weird sound like a chuckle and a cough combined.  "So you're not the man I thought you would be."

"Wait, I didn't kill a pure blood."

"You have before, before the matrix."

Frost didn't understand, "I'm only one hundred."

"Are you sure or is that what the matrix told you?"

Ra ran up and glared at Fang.  "Why did you tell him?'  Ra scolded.

Fang laughed again.  "He has no idea who he is."

"And it should have stayed that way!"

Frost glanced at Ra.  "You know about my past and you weren't going to tell me?"

"Frost, you can become a better person."  Ra told him.

"But what about my past?"  Frost grew angry.  "Don't I deserve to know that?"

"You should be happy, lucky that you don't know you're past," Ra yelled.  "To not remember the things you did, the lives you destroyed."

Fang snuck away with a smirk on his face.  Frost and Ra didn't notice, as Frost spoke, "I don't understand."

Ra refused to look up at Frost.  "You were put in the matrix, not born in a pod."

"How do you know?"

"I knew you before."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Because all of you, Faith, Oz, the other changelings need to discover who you are on your own."

"And our past?"

"Is the past."

"Who are you to decide this?"

"I remember my past and I hate who I was."

"And how do you know I'll feel the same?"

"I saw you with El, what does your heart say about her?  Or about faith or Ivy?  Your human side is coming back.  Do you really want that to mesh with your vampiric half?  As a master vamp could you have loved a human with out turning her?"

Frost had no reply.

"If you need it simplified, I'm older by 1000 years, so I'm just doing my duty as your elder."

"But if what…" he glanced around to see that Fang was gone, "Fang said is true I wouldn't listen to you any way."

"I'm not pure, I'm half, so yeah you are going to listen to me."  Ra said sternly.

"So you are really not going to tell me?"

"No, but I can help you get your memory back."

"How?"

"Meditation."

Frost huffed, "figures."

"You always were restless."  Ra said as he walked away.

"You would know wouldn't you."  Frost yelled after him.

Faith found El curled up on her bed facing the wall.  "El?"

El didn't move, but she did sniffle quietly.

"El, what happened?"

"Ivy," she whispered.

Faith realized what was happening.  "El, look at me."  El rolled over.  "Do you really like him?"

El nodded her head as she wiped her tears with her sleeve.

"Well, then sometimes you need to fight."

El's eyes lit up.  "What?  But?"

"If you really like him then tell him, show him, do something."

"Faith, why, you said he's dangerous."

"Sure, well, he's, look, vampires in general are dangerous.  But I'm beginning to realize that they aren't as dangerous as in the matrix.  If you really like him go for it."

El sat and began ruffling her hair.  "Are you sure?"

"El, if you think he's worth it, go get him."

El hugged Faith and then bolted from the room.

As Neo made his way back to Trinity he bumped into the new captain of the Apollo's Chariot, Oz.  "Sorry," Neo said as he tried to move away, but Oz grabbed his arm.

"Neo, what did you say to Faith?"

Neo pulled his arm away.  "I tried to talk to her and she snapped at me."

"Faith has been through a lot if you push her too much she'll lash out.  She's not used to being a role model."

"Why?"  Neo asked.  "Why shouldn't she be pushed?  We're at war."

"That's different, she's an excellent warrior, but emotional connections weigh her down.  Anger, rage, fear is all good for fighting, but what you want from her.  She doesn't understand that, no one's ever truly looked up to her without a little bit of fear, anyway."

Neo nodded, finally understanding.

Oz put his hand on Neo's shoulder.  "We all have a burden to bare, I don't envy you two.  It's going to be a hard war for both of you.  Just take comfort in the fact that you have someone who truly understands your burden."  With that Oz left him as Trinity rejoined him.

"What's wrong?"  She asked.

He grasped her hand and kissed it.  "Nothing."  He caught a spark in her eyes and a tiny twinge of a smile.  He smiled as he pulled her out of the crowded cavern.

El ran from cavern to cavern searching for Frost or Ivy, figuring where ever Ivy was Frost would also be.  She was beginning to fear that they were in Ivy's room, when she spotted Ivy with Kale cursing angrily.  El smiled slightly and then she spotted Frost talking to Oz.  She carefully made her way over to them catching part of the conversation.

"Oz, I just don't know how to handle this."

"Calm down."  Oz touched Frost's shoulder supportively.  "What happened?"

"Ivy, she just jumped me.  I can't handle it."

"What sex?"  Trans asked confused.

Oz slapped him over the back of the head.  "Human lust, moron," He glared at Trans, before turning back to Frost.  "Did you tell her you're not interested?"

"No, I freaked and ran."

"Was she forcefull?"

"Completely, I just…" he sighed.  "In there humans either feared or worshipped me.  They weren't the ones jumping me.  I was a master vamp I had the control."     

"Tell her you're not ready."  Trans suggested.

"It's just I don't feel anything for her."

"Oh."

El who was standing behind a pillar listening, smiled.  Maybe she wouldn't have to fight Ivy for Frost after all.  But how was she going to convince Frost to find her attractive.  They were at war, so no one really cared about who was with whom as long as it was within reason.  But could a guy as old as Frost like her a petite 17 year old?  She was about to walk over toward them when she her name, she froze.    
"And El?"  Frost started.

"What of her?"  Oz asked.

"I can tell she adores me, more than that."

Trans chuckled.  "She has a huge crush on him."

(El felt her ears get warm and her face turn pink.)

"How do you feel?"  Oz asked.

"Not sure, she's great and so hot in that cat suit…"

"But?"  Trans asked.

"I don't think I'm ready for that right now, a relationship."

(El didn't want to hear anymore, and she bolted.)

"But maybe she's worth it."  Oz said.

"Maybe," Frost agreed.  "Hey, I wanted to ask you, what do you know about Ra?"

"You mean other than being an old vampire?"

"Yeah, how long has he been out here?"

"No idea, he doesn't talk about his past, who he is, what he knows, the man he was, he's a sealed vault."

"That's not comforting."

"No, but he told the council that he will only share his story with the right people."

"Huh."

Oz nodded his head.

"So who are the right people?"  Frost asked with a smile.

Oz smiled. 

Ra knew what Frost was going through, but as he watched him he also knew that telling Frost would expose him.  Ra couldn't do that, it would tell Frost who he was .  And Ra didn't believe Frost needed to know the truth about himself or Ra.  Ra knew things that no changelings knew, things they needed to find out for themselves.  He just hoped they would discover it in time.


	14. Battle

**This chapter may make you dizzy, I will switch back and forth from different points of view. I hadn't realized I did it until I started typing it. Sorry for any problems, but I do hope you enjoy.**

****

Chapter 13

Battle

Faith awoke feeling refreshed; she was ready. Actually she was itching for the fight; she knew what would have to do. Not to prove herself, either, for once it would not be about her and for that she was grateful.

Neo sat staring at the opposite wall. He had tried to sleep, but every time he closed his eyes her saw Faith's fist. He heard Trinity walk in, but made no move to acknowledge her.

"Neo?" She asked quietly. He didn't move. "Are you okay?" Then it hit her, "about today you'll win."

"And if I don't?"

"Then we'll go back out there and keep fighting this war."

Neo realized that no matter what Trinity wouldn't leave him. He stood and turned to look at her. "I still have some time, I'm going to take a nap." He took her hand and pulled her into the bedroom with him. She smiled as he had her lay down with him.

"I know what you can do. Just remember I believe in you."

"I know," he kissed her.

Frost awoke alone again. All week El had avoided him. 'Teenager', he thought. He walked into the font room. The dining table was pushed against the wall, and Faith was in the middle of the room. He watched as she went through a series of kicks and punches. He slowly stepped up behind her. Justas he got a few inches behind her, she reached back, grabbed him, and flipped him over her. He landed on his back so hard that the room shook. He gasped. "So I guess you have all your slayer strength."

"I guess so, that's the first time I did that out here." She held out her hand. "Thanks."

He took her hand and let her pull him up. "Sure, anytime. You do know you won't physically have to fight him?"

"Yeah, I know."

Oz ran into the room just as someone knocked on the door. Faith ignored Oz and answered the door. There was a group of people staring at her.

"Yeah, oh, I'm sorry, this jerk," points back at Frost with her thumb, "startled me while I was exercising. It won't happen again, I promise."

With that the crowd in front of the door dissipated. She closed the door and turned back to Oz. "Sorry."

"Just don't let it happen again." He said as he trudged back to bed.

Frost smiled, "can we take a walk, maybe avoid waking anyone else."

"Sure," Faith replied.

As they walked from cavern to cavern they were silent. As they entered the docking bay, Faith spoke. "Do you ever wonder if this is all a dream?"

"Nightmare, actually."

"Like I feel like I should be out slaying. Sometimes I'll wake up in the middle of the night and start getting changed when I realize where I am and vampires don't need to be slayed."

"Do you ever wonder about that? I know a Chaos demon has antlers and slime, but here…"

"The only Chaos demon we know looks very human."

He nodded his head.

"Makes you wonder," he watched her as she spoke and looked up at all the docked ships. All these people had come to watch the challenge. She reached up at touched the hull of the ship next to her, "where all the actual demons disappeared to."

He nodded his head. "I met a pure vampire two weeks ago."

Her head turned toward him.

He continued, "he was pale and had actual fucking fangs."

"Wow."

"What's even worse is what he said." Frost paused to inhale and exhale deeply. "He said he knew about my past."

"You have one?" She asked with a smile.

"Apparently, but weird part is Ra knows about it." Frost watched Faith's eyes widen for a second.

"Why does everything come back to him?" Faith asked, as she touched her right cheek absently.

"Was he in your dream?"

She nodded her head as she spoke. "His eyes, in his eyes."  
"He definitely knows stuff."

"Stuff that could help us," she added.  
"Oz, says he waiting for the right people to spill his secrets to."

"Figures doesn't it."

"Yeah," he sighed. "He said with meditation he could help me remember."

"Killjoy," she said, her hand dropping from the ship. They continued walking.

"You don't seem nervous."

"No, I guess I've been itching for so long that it's just not bothering me."

"But it's not like it will be a real fight, no sweat, cuts, tears…"

"You don't like it either, I get."

He shook his head. "Face in the dirt, blood on your face, textures, it's not there in a computer, especially after you know that it's all fake."

"Maybe you enjoyed your pre-matrix life too much." She said with a smile.

"So what's your excuse?"

"Old soul, she remembers the earth at the beginning."

"The first slayer?"

"Yup."

"Good excuse."

"Yup."

As they lay back, Faith finally felt her nerves kick in. She glanced over at El the only crewmember allowed into the control room with them.

"This program better be good." Faith jokingly warned.

El smiled, as Neo was jacked in she spoke, "think erotic dance club."

As they moved to plug Faith in, she replied, "love you, girl."

White.

Oz, Frost, Ra, Trans, and the rest of the of Oz's crew had frost row seats in front of the large screens set up in the mess hall. Morpheus' crew was there as well, both crews wanting to watch each other's emotions.

Frost placed a hand on Oz's shoulder. "Don't worry," he whispered, "she'll do the right thing."

They were told that they would be loaded into the jump program first. Afterward they would get two minutes in the construct to compose themselves, weapons would be selected, and then they would be sent into the combat zone. Neo watched as the white bled away into reds and blues. They were in a desert standing on a pyramid. They were to leap from pyramid to pyramid and then end up on a blue column. This all seemed corny to Faith by the look on her face, but Neo figured it was necessary.

"What are you waiting for?" Faith asked.

"Oh, ladies first."

She narrowed her eyes into slits at him, "typical. Bye," she waved and then leaped. She landed onto the pyramid and then turned back to look at him. "You coming?"

He leaped and landed next to her. To their right was a sphinx, which she then jumped to. As they continued leap-frogging the scenery began to change from a desert with pyramids to a city with tall buildings to ancient Rome. After leaping from one side of the coliseum to the other, they saw the large blue column ahead.

Once Faith got the hang of it the first test was easy. As the program melted away, she sighed.

"Tired already?" Neo mocked.

"Barely," she remembered what el said about the next program. She hoped she could get this to work.

Neo watched quietly as she changed her outfit. Her red shirt shrunk into a shimmering halter top. Her pants moved as liquid into black leather pants. She grew slightly with the boots she now wore. A studded belt around her waist as her lips reddened slightly and glossed over. As she stood looking satisfied in her clubbing outfit, she spoke, "come on, Neo, join the fun."

"Is she doing that or is it him?" A Zionian next to Frost spoke.

"That's her," Ra replied in awe.

Neo's skin tight shirt faded from black to a dark royal blue. The sleeves melted away, so the shirt was sleeveless. His trench coat changed into slick, new leather. His pants also changed to tight leather. His boot remained the same, as a belt matching Faith's snaked around his waist. Frost looked over to see Trinity with an icy glare in her eyes. He turned back to the screen as a silver chain snaked around Neo's neck. For a finishing touch blue streaks appeared in his hair.

"Ready!" Faith yelled out.

Two metal tables rushed up behind them. They both turned to see two hand guns with four extra clips, throwing stars, a whip, two daggers, and a sword.

Faith picked up the whip. "Wicked," she smiled as she wrapped it around her waist. Neo remained silent as he loaded up. Once they were both armed everything went dark.

Neo waited as a blue light turned on. Then a red, pink, yellow, after enough lights were on he could see his surroundings. It looked like a strip club. There was a stage to his right and smaller platforms with poles placed sporadically around them. Faith smiled, he could tell she was enjoying his discomfort. He never liked places like this, he hated crowds, well, Thomas Anderson hated crowds. Thomas Anderson is real, Neo is.

"Ready?" The voice of El echoed through a speaker. Neo was surprised that the council had chosen the program of the young girl on Faith's ship. Morpheus exclaimed that it was unfair.

"It would unfair if Neo or Faith submitted the program. One of your programmers could have submitted a program."

"Mouse" Neo had whispered.

"Our programmer died," Morpheus replied.

"Have you chosen a new one?"

"No."

"Then you have no argument."

"NEO!"

Neo jumped at Faith sudden yell. "What?"

"Are you ready?"

"Yes."

A large neon pink 5 appeared in between them and began counting down.

Faith held up her fists as Neo got into some karate stance. Faith never really cared about form or structure, just about surviving. Faith stepped to her right and they began to circle. Neo's eyes narrowed as he waited for her to strike. 'Why should I go first?' she thought to herself. She stopped moving, forgot that she was being watched by all of Zion, and sat on a table. Neo froze.

"What are you doing?" He asked coldly.

"Waiting for the game to begin."

"What is she doing?" Ivy heard Tank ask.

"Baiting him," Ra replied.

"Why?"

"She doesn't want to make the first move. So she's trying to force him to do it." Frost said realization dripping from his mouth.

Faith watched Neo, she knew it would take him forever to catch on. "So you think you're ready?"

"I just told you I was ready."

"Are you ready to lose?"

"Sure."

"Lose friends, lovers, your sanity?" She picked up three shots glasses and began to juggle them. "Cause I've lived through it all. I've been through all the tragic emotions: suicidal, murderous, insane, regretful; the list goes on and on. Are you ready for it?"

"Why don't we just fight?"

"Hard way, it is." She collected the glasses and chucked one at the dancer's pole behind him. It shattered and glass rained down on his shoulders. "Are you ready?" She repeated. "Forget about them, they can see you, but they can't hear you."

"No."

"Good answer," she replied with a smile.

He couldn't believe she was mocking him. He pulled out the throwing stars and watched her smile wickedly. She jumped off the table as he threw two. The stars stuck in the wall behind her.

"There's my boy."

He looked up to see her hanging from one hand from the catwalk. He growled as she swung down and landed on the same table.

"That's it. That's all you have for me?"

He glared at her, as he pulled out his gun. She threw the second glass and hit him in the forehead. He was stunned for a minute and raised the gun again, she was gone. He spun around just in time to be punched in the face.

"Ooo," their audience winced.

Trinity glared at the screen as Ra smirked. Faith flipped back and landed on another table as Neo drew his sword. He swung at her legs, but she flipped over him. He turned and thrust the sword at her throat. Oz watched Morpheus smile, but Oz knew better. Faith kicked Neo's sword and punched him in the stomach. As he backed up, she spun and slapped him hard in the side with her leg. As he started to fall, he gripped his sword and cart wheeled to the side. He swung his sword at her shoulder, which she blocked easily enough with her own sword.

"This is all you've got?" She mocked.

Again he swung at her, she blocked. They dueled back and forth for several minutes, but Oz could see that she was growing bored. He smiled as she back flipped Neo chasing her. As she moved she tucked her sword away. She flipped up and grabbed the stripper's pole. Neo slid to a stop to late and got brutally kicked in the face as Faith swung around. Oz watched Trinity cringe as Ra and Trans slapped a high five. Faith swung again, but Neo was ready and threw a chair at her. It hit her and she fell to the floor hard. She stood and smiled. Neo's eyes widen when he saw what she held in her hand. She smirked as she twirled the whip.

"Very good, let your emotions out."

He narrowed his eyes at her.

"You know I've never actually used one of these things before, but…" She snapped the whip on a table.

Trinity didn't like how this fight was going. She silently prayed that Neo would be alright. Then she saw the whip in Faith's hand. Faith swung it around her head and snapped it on a pole. Neo backed into a table. He backed up and reached for his sword. "SNAP!" The whip cracked against his left shoulder. He pulled the sword out and held it before him. As she swung at him again he ducked under her reach and swipped at her right arm. The sword only made a small cut, but enough for her to lose control of the whip. She swung it upward, caught a beam and swung up onto the catwalk above.

Sure Neo had weapons training, but there had only been a few bytes on the whip. Morpheus kicked himself for not thinking of giving him more. He glanced down at Oz and saw pure confidence. "What program did you use?"

"Basic, but she learned most of what you're watch in the matrix. A slayer needs to be an expert in all types of weapons." He paused to smile. "Good thing they didn't give them axes. She's deadly with a battle axe."

"You're running now?" He yelled out. "The fun has just begun.

"Who said I was running?" He voice whispered into his ear. He spun and found her hanging upside down from her whip. She reminded him of Spiderman hanging like that.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Baiting you."

"Why?"

"You're not learning."

He whipped out his sword and sliced the whip. As she fell she twisted around and landed on all fours. She pushed off the floor and kicked Neo in the face. He took the hit, grabbed her leg, and threw her.


	15. The Crack That Changed The Game

**I wrote this chapter while listening to music, I'm not including any lyrics, but Faith may use them. These songs seem to be stuff Faith would fight to and some of the song's lyrics fit the events taking place. Soil: Unreal, Disturbed: Bound, Curve: Chinese Burn.**

Chapter 14

The Crack that Changed the Game

He watched as she landed on a table and broke it.

"Yeah, you're learning just not fast enough." She spoke as she ran toward him with her sword drawn. He blocked with his.

"Learning what?"

"How to use your emotions to enjoy the fight," she pulled away to slash at his leg. He blocked. "Hey, El, does this club come with any music?" She yelled out to the silence.

Neo tried to swipe at her, but she jumped onto a table. They continued to spar as a guitar and drums began to play. Neo joined her on the table. Faith needing more room flipped up onto the catwalk above. Neo jumped up and joined her. She was brutal always going for a vital area. He flipped backward letting her work a bit.

"So how big is the chip on your shoulder?" He asked as he blocked her from going for his neck.

She growled and blocked him again. She hopped to jump kick him, but he grabbed her foot and flipped her. She landed on her stomach and the sword fell to the floor below.

"Gotcha," he smirked.

She yanked his foot and he fell onto his back. "Ditto."

As he flipped himself to his feet, she rolled off the catwalk. He looked around and spotted her with her sword dancing to the music on a pole. He flipped over the railing and dropped to the floor below.

"You know I gotta give the girl credit she has excellent taste in music." She leaned her head back and mouthed the words. She began to head bang to the music. "Do you see, Neo? Do you see what's in front of you?"

He glared at her.

"Do you see your destiny? It's right here, fucking with your head."

"You talk too much."

"B does tend to rub off on people; you'll have to blame her for that."

"Can we just fight?" He asked raising his sword.

She pulled out her gun and smiled, her wicked smile, "sure."

As the bullets left the chamber he dodged, the bullet hit him in the leg with a SPLAT! He glanced down to see yellow ink splattered on his leg.

She squealed in delight. "I shot the rrrab-bit!" She spoke in an animated/cartoonish voice. He glanced up to see her aiming for him again. He sliced the table leg in front of him. The bullet hit the table as it fell in front of him. He leaned up to see her walking toward him. He slipped his sword away, pulled the gun out, and spun around on his back. Just as she got a few feet from him he kicked the table at her. It hit her and she found herself trapped under it. He jumped up and hurried toward her, but when he got there she wasn't under the table. POP! He turned as something stung his right shoulder. Faith was behind him standing on a table with her legs spread, reminding him of Lara Croft.

"Come on, Neo, you're wasting time." She smiled, he cringed. He hated how she kept twisting the lyrics to taunt him.

He ripped his gun out and squeezed one off on her. A red splat hit her upper thigh.

She laughed, "Trinity's gonna be mad at you."

He yelled and charged at her.

"Finally," she whispered as she pocketed her gun.

Neo struck her in the jaw, she spun and kicked him. He jump kicked her; she grabbed his leg and flipped him. He landed in a head stand and kicked her in the face. She growled and grabbed him by the shoulders and threw him into a pole. It bent with the force. He turned and ripped it from the floor as she came up behind him, he struck her in the ribs. The crack was loud as the music paused between songs.

She grunted.

Faith took the crack. She really wanted to strike, but she had to teach Neo. That was why she being so easy, she couldn't take the role of The One. It wasn't her destiny, it was his.

_ "Is that really how you want to play it?" A_ familiarly strange voice whispered to her. She knew there was no one else there, but she also knew what she heard.

Frost couldn't believe it; Neo actually got a good shot in. He wasn't sure how, but he heard the crack. It made him cringe.

"Frost, what's wrong?" Ra asked. Oz also wore a look of concern.

"Nothing." He was only able to hear like that when he was in the matrix, when he believed himself to be a true vampire. How could he now hear like this?

Her body was slightly bent over, but when she glared up at Neo; he could feel the warmth seep out of his body. That glare was murderous. He wanted to back away, but instead she grabbed his shoulder and pushed him. It was weak and he only fell to his butt. He looked up to see her breathing heavily in and out of her nose. She looked like a cat ready to strike. For the first time during the entire fight he actually began to fear for his life. He backed up and slowly began to stand, the second he was standing straight a fist struck his face. He felt the hit to his right eye, but he didn't know how to react to it. It hurt, but he was still too scared.

"Come on the game isn't over yet!" She screamed.

Sure the crack to her ribs hurt, but she wasn't going to let him off that easily. The music that thumped through the speakers now was the same song she danced to with Buffy on their wild night. The night had changed her life forever. With that memory burning in her mind, she stood straighter, and released the pain. She held up her fists, but kicked Neo in the side. He took the hit and didn't react again. "Come ON!"

He shook his head and watched her with wary eyes. This time when she tried to strike he blocked. She blocked him, back and forth. She threw him into a wall. He came back, tossed her onto a catwalk, and then joined her. She kicked and punched and knocked him off the catwalk. She flipped over it and followed him. He was waiting for her and shot her shoulder; she kicked him, and sent him sailing onto the stage. She flipped and leaped up. When she landed he kicked her off. She fell onto a table, as he came toward her she hit him with a chair. He took the hit, but it gave her enough time to run. As he came up behind her, she turned ran up the wall turned and kicked him. She landed as he jumped, grasped the catwalk, and kicked her. She fell and he landed on top of her. As she tried to kick him he sat on her. She tried to wrestle out from under him when she heard an audible click just above her left ear. She froze.

"Game Over," he whispered.

The music paused as the club faded away.

Neo opened his eyes to see El watching him with suspicious eyes.

"Back off, kid, he won. It's all five by five." He turned to see Faith sliding out of her chair. She looked over at him as he sat up. "Enjoy your destiny." She turned and started out of the room.

"Faith," she turned. "I'm sorry."

"No, it was always your destiny, not mine. You are the One, you were always The One. I'm the slayer." She smiled as though remembering something. "It's what I do."

He noticed her arm over her ribs. "Are you…"

"Five by five, a little internal bleeding is nothing compared to a bashed in skull." She left before he could ask more.

Faith ignored all those waiting for her, their pleading, comforting faces were not something she wanted to see at the moment. She burst through the crowd, swiftly ridding herself of El too, and ran as fast as she could away. She finally found herself in a small cave that must be used for supplies, since it was full of blankets. She grabbed one, went to the very back, and sat in the corner. She curled up and fell asleep with the blanket wrapped around her shoulder and her head leaning on a stack of pillows. Compared to prison this was heaven, in a room full of pillows and blankets. Only B knew if that's true though. As she drifted off she couldn't understand why now she missed B.

Black rimmed amber eyes melt away into code that then drips off a screen. As it hits the floor it becomes blood, as the blood begins to spread the surface changes to a slick red metal. It becomes the scythe. "Destiny," the first slayer whispers.

"Why didn't you kill him?" An ugly harsh voice interrupts all the current images become murky as the voice continues, "you are better you know it, take him, kill!"

"NO!" Faith yelled as she jumped up. It was a dream, but what was that, who? She heard a beating noise in the far distance. She stood straighter and stretched out with her senses. No it was a drum beat, probably for the party to celebrate Neo being the One. She left the blanket and headed toward the mess hall. As she passed the cavern where the party was she glanced inside. Axel and Rose were up on a platform beating on large metal drums. There were people everywhere; it looked like a big fleshy orgy to Faith.

"Faith?" She looked up to see Neo looking at her. "Dance with me?"

"Won't your wife kill me?"

"We aren't married."

"You should be." She spoke bitterly.

"One dance."

She sighed, "fine, but if Trinity hits me, I'll bite back."

He led her inside, past several dancers toward the middle. Back in the matrix she would have been all for it, but here she felt jaded. She didn't want to be center of attention. She glanced around to see several eyes on her, including Ra, Oz, and Trinity's. Neo placed his hand on her shoulder to pull her closer, but before he could pull her closer she got an instant flash.

"No," she pulled away and ran. She pushed her way through the surging bodies trying desperately to escape.

"Faith?" She heard Neo call after her.

She stopped once she was a whole cavern away. She saw something she didn't think she was supposed to. Neo was holding Trinity. Faith didn't want to mess with destiny; she just wanted to live her life. She was perfectly happy to leave Neo with his. Suddenly something moved behind Faith, she spun grasped something fleshy and threw it to the ground. She blinked to see that she was holding onto Trinity's neck. The woman coughed. Faith let go and backed away.

Trinity stood slowly as she watched Faith. "I just wanted…"

"To tell me to stay away from your husband."

"We're not…"

"As I told him, you should be, now will everyone just leave me alone." She said glancing up ward. "I get the idea, destiny, now leave me to mine." She cried out to the ceiling. With that she simply turned and walked away, leaving a stunned and confused Trinity behind.

El looked around the huge cavern; she only wanted to dance with one person. But said person was making googley eyes at someone else. She watched as Faith ditched Neo and fled to cavern. Maybe she could go comfort the slayer instead. She turned to leave when a hand brushed her shoulder. She turned to see Ra looking down at her. "What do you want?"

"Just go over and smack the jerk."

"What?"

"It might not get the right attention, but it will get his attention."

"Are you sure?"

"Do it." He urged.

She started back, turned and saw Ra smiling wicked at her. She walked right up to Frost who was standing amongst a few girls and a tired looking Oz. She looked up at him with anxiety, and then he noticed her.

He leaned over slightly, "hey, El, where have…"SLAP!

"Don't patronize me, I have feelings too, and I've been out longer, I know more." She spat as she turned and stalked out.

Frost froze, but then he caught Ra's eyes and smirk. He trudged over to the man. "Why?"

"Why did she hit you? Are you that blind?"

"No, why did you tell her to hit me?"

"Because she needs confidence and you needed the smack. She's been giving you the eyes ever since that first night in the club."

"How do you know about that night?"

"Oz."

"Right, of course."

"So the question is what are you going to do about it, because right now she's headed toward Faith for advice."

"How do you know these things?"

"It's my gift."

Frost rolled his eyes and trudged off.

"And my curse." Ra whispered to himself.

_"Is it really a curse?"_ A whisper floated his way.

"Bug off, asshole. You aren't welcome here." He replied under his breath.

_"I will be soon."_

"Doubtfull."

_"Believe what you want vampire."_

Ra growled a very inhuman growl and walked back into the cavern to find a girl to dance with.

El found Faith in the mess hall alone sitting at a middle table with several dishes of different flavored goop spread around on the table. El took a cup and filled it with water and made her way over to Faith. She silently sat down across from her to see the slayer using her finger and goop as paint to draw something on the surface of the table.

"Is this a private moment or can I join in the fun of decorating the table?" El asked quietly.

Faith used her right elbow to push a bowl in El's direction.

El sat and placed her cup on the table.

"It is safe to speak," Faith told her after a few minutes had passed.

"Good, cause Trinity, looked like you smacked her, so I…"

"I slammed her into the ground, but for good reason."

"She snuck up on you and you don't like that."

Faith finally looked up and gave El a weak smile. "No, I don't."

"Neither do I, that's how I get into so much trouble. In the matrix I tend to attack normal citizens, but in my defense I'm saving myself the trouble, when he/she becomes an agent."

Faith's smile brightened. "Seeing how I have yet to meet one since being released it's understandable."

"Now that you know that they aren't human?"

"No, now that I know how much fun I can have with them."

El smiled. "So why aren't you at the party?"

"Why aren't you?"

"Frost."

"I was, but the fates don't want me to come between Trinity and Neo, plus it's not my thing, anymore." She added something to her drawing and then looked back up at El. "What happened?"

"I hit Frost."

"Go, girl."

"Ra suggested it, but when I actually did it, it felt good."

"What did he do?"

"I didn't give him a chance."

"Storming off is always of the good."

"That I thought he would try to hit back."

"Well, maybe he likes it rough."

"I hope so."

Morpheus watched the interactions between Faith and Neo and Trinity. He knew he had always been right about Neo, but Faith was a wild card. Sure Neo had won the challenge, but as he watched Faith slammed Trinity to the ground he wondered how much physical power Faith had. Most people had to stay in very good shape to be a strong as she seemed and she could not possibly be at that point after just being released. He left the party and followed her to the mess hall, but remained outside. He listened as she and her shipmate spoke. "…the fates don't want me to come between Trinity and Neo…"

What did that mean, fates? What had this girl been through? He knew a little of what the changelings believed. That there were almighty deities called The Powers That Be and that they thought that demons were real. They believed themselves to be generations into human/demon cross breeding due completely to the machines ignorance toward demons. Some bold ones like Ra and Fang were convinced that they were centuries old vampires, born 100 years before the machines were ever created. Morpheus thought it was all bull, there was no possible way. He glanced into the room to see El leaning over the table as Faith drew a symbol with goop.

"What is it?"

"A scythe, I had a vision about it."

"Really?"

"Yeah, but it was interrupted by something dark."

"Dark, like evil?"

"Yeah, but I don't know what."

"Creepy."

He watched as Faith shivered, without looking up she spoke. "Morpheus, why don't you join us?"

He entered the room and stared at her expecting something, but she didn't look up. "How did you know I was there?" He asked.

"I could hear you breathing. If you want to sneak up on me, you have to learn to breathe quieter."

"Really and how would I do that?"

"Apply that discipline you use in the matrix to the real world."

"Excuse me?"

"Ya know that holier than thou stuff you're always spewing, take it in and apply it to your mentality. Open your mind to the possibility that you can be more."

Morpheus couldn't understand how she seemed so crude one minute and so intelligent the next. It was like she had two sides. He leaned in to see the axe shaped design she had drawn. "What is that?"

"A scythe, I had one in the matrix, but I think…" She trailed off.

"Faith?" El asked.

Morpheus watched as Faith looked directly at him her face was blank, but her eyes were pure white. She blinked and her eyes turned to black. "It is here, originally crafted for her alone." She spoke in a raspy unearthly voice. Her whole body shuttered as she blinked clearing her eyes.

"Faith?" El asked again.

"The first slayer, she knows."

"Knows what?"

"Where the scythe is."

Morpheus glared at her.


	16. Questions for the Oracle

**Chapter 15**

**Questions for the Oracle**

Neo was dancing with Trinity, when he felt a shiver. It was warm in the crowded cavern, enough that every body was covered in a glistening sheen of sweat, including him. Even in the warmth he suddenly felt his whole body go cold. Then he heard a primal rasp "It is here, originally crafted for her alone." He roughly pulled away from Trinity.

"Neo?"

"Faith, I have to find Faith." He turned and ran. He could feel Trinity follow.

He skittered to a stop in the mess hall to see Morpheus holding Faith securely as she sat on the table.

"What are you talking about?" Morpheus demanded.

Faith gasped, Neo fell to his knees as images of a petite blonde haired woman holding an axe shaped weapon, the woman handed it to Faith. ((It feels like its mine)) The woman used the weapon, which Neo couldn't identify, to fight off enemies; as she fell she tossed it to Faith. Faith used the axe half to slash heads off and cut through the bodies of the enemy and used the sharp wooden end to stab through the hearts of the monsters she was fighting. She was fierce as she plowed through the horde.

He shook his head to clear it and looked up as Faith stood, pulling away from Morpheus. "I have to find it," she spoke.

Morpheus' eyes narrowed. "That was the matrix, it wasn't real; didn't your captain explain that?"

"Yeah, well, explain this." She walked over to Neo and picked him up off the ground by the back of his neck. She then placed him on the table. "Or this?" She flipped onto the table across from where Neo sat. Then she cart wheeled and flipped down the length of the table. At the end, she flipped onto the next table and the next until she reached the end of the hall. At the last table, she ran down the table, leaped off, ran up the wall, spun around and kicked the edge of the table. With the force of the kick, it slid and the opposite end embedded itself into the wall.

Morpheus blinked.

"Who do you know outside the matrix, can do that?" She caught Neo's eyes, "and in case you're wondering you did win in there. I'm meant to fight out here, not in there."

"Why?" Neo asked.

"Because it's what the slayer was created for, the matrix just got in the way."

"And the one?" He asked.

"A buy product of the slayer power, but you are their champion in the matrix."

Neo watched as Morpheus began to seethe. Faith just smirked as she flipped over to them. She landed in front of Morpheus and kissed him on the lips.

Faith knew what she was doing when she kissed Morpheus, she watched as he saw the slayers of the past fighting demons and the growing population of machines. She pulled away. "Dream about it," she turned away, "come on, El, we have to talk to Oz."

Neo had no idea, what just happened. How was Faith able to do all that? Wasn't it supposed to be impossible? "Morpheus?"

His captain looked up at Neo in confusion and anger.

"How?"

Morpheus continued to stare at him. For a second Neo thought he was in shock, but then Morpheus spoke. "We should leave."

"Because of Faith?"

"Because the war still rages on and we need to fight."

Faith ran from cavern to cavern, she finally found Oz with Frost and Ra just outside the party.

"Faith, what happened?" He asked.

Faith could see Ra trying to appear invisible and Frost's alert eyes. "We have to leave right away; I have to go find it."

"What?"

"The scythe."

"The what?"

"The slayer's weapon," Ra explained, "but it is just a myth."

"We have one in the matrix, I know it exists, it's here somewhere. I have to go to the Oracle, she'll help." Faith caught a look in Frost's eyes. She then noticed Ra. "What's going on?" She asked looking between the two of them.

"He knows more than he refuses to tell." Frost growled out.

"I told you all it is something you must all discover for yourselves." Ra told them.

"Fine," Faith said, "screw him, Oz, when can we leave?"

"I have to get clearance and state my reason, but tomorrow. Get sleep, that's an order. El, find the rest tell them we may be leaving tomorrow and to meet at my room at noon." El nodded her head and ran off.

"Thank you," Faith said as she turned to leave.

"I'm coming with you." Frost said as he joined her.

Soon Oz and Ra were alone.

"You will have to tell them." Oz spoke.

"You know I can't."

"Why, because you say so or because she told you not to."

"Her words to me were, 'In the darkness it will call to you, telling you your true past, others will follow each with their own path, you should not interfere. They will demand answers be strong and let them find their own way. For they cannot discover their true destiny by your aid, for she only will set them all free. When she cut the bonds, makes the deal, you all shall be free.' I didn't understand it then, but now that Faith's here I do. I can't tell them, because I can't set you all free only she can."

"What deal?"

"I don't know; it may not be a good thing, but it will be her choice not ours."

"And the 'it' in the darkness?"

"Do you ever have to make a hard decision and as you are deciding a voice tells you an outcome that you believe to be wrong. That is the thing in the darkness, it may have a name, but I do not know it."

Oz thought this over as he appeared before the council the next day to request for leave.

"How is it that both challengers' ships want to leave on the same day?" One council member asked.

Oz wrinkled his brow in confusion.

"Morpheus had also requested for leave. What is your reason?"

"Faith requests a meeting with the Oracle."

"Morpheus asked for the same thing."

Again Oz was confused.

"We can only guess that your little challenge opened up some minds. We will honor your request; your check out time is 6pm. Good luck, Captain."

Oz nodded his head. "Thank you," and left.

As Oz headed toward his room to meet with his crew he got on an elevator to find Trinity inside. In the past Oz had very little contact with Morpheus' favorite crew member, when he got on he could feel her watching him.

"What did Faith do that spooked your captain?" He asked.

"I don't know, he refuses to talk about it." She paused. "Is she really a slayer?"

He nodded his head.

"He mentioned that she gave him visions."

"Of what?"

"Her past and other slayers, it really scared him."

The doors opened at Oz's floor. "It may not make a difference, but tell him we are on the same side."

"I know, and tell Faith to stay away from Neo."

"She's been trying to, she doesn't want to interfere, Neo doesn't understand."

"Understand what?"

"Faith and Neo are part of one another, she can see into his destiny, but he doesn't understand that."

The doors closed before Trinity could stop them.

Twitch sat calmly and watched as the twins seemed annoyed that they were leaving so soon. He smiled slightly, wondering what it was like to have so much family in Zion. He had a few friends, but he considered the ship his true home. When he had first come to Zion, there were extra rooms, so he was able to request where he could live. He had chosen one on the lower decks. After living on a ship for so long, he was used to falling asleep to the sound of an engine. He couldn't rest in silence, even in the matrix silence unnerved him. He was used to sleeping in a noisy environment. He was happy to be returning to the ship. He looked over at Faith, their reason for returning, and decided that he liked her. Not in the 'I love you' sort of way, but in the sense that he could enjoy his time on the ship with her. Frost on the other hand, well, Twitch felt like he should watch his back when the changeling was around. El he noticed seemed madly in love with the man. Twitch looked up as Oz entered the room. All eyes turned toward their captain.

"We leave at six." He announced. "Roin, the ship's medical supplies need to be restocked. Frost and Twitch, you need to refuel the ship and get the engine running. Faith, El, go to the armory, we need bullets and harpoons. Go to the ship first and give them the empty shells," he looked at Faith, "remember everything gets recycled. Kale, check with the programmers for new training programs and any news on the Oracle's location. Ivy, we need clothes one extra set for each of us and extra blankets. You have your assignments, any question?"

Twitch raised his hand.

Oz nodded at him.

"And I assume our almighty captain will get us food."

"What else do you expect me to do?" Oz answered with a smile. "Alright let's go people, we only have 6 hours."

Faith and El carried the box of empty shells into the armory as Trinity and Morpheus were leaving. Morpheus watched Faith with shielded eyes. It was as though he expected her to send him reeling into her mind again.

"Good luck out there," Faith called after him.

He ignored her.

"Don't kill any slayers in the matrix cause I'll come after you." Her voice was cheerful, but there was an edge of a threat in it.

BAM! A chest dropped.

Faith lowered her chest and grabbed the offending hand off of her shoulder. She flung it around as she spun flipping Morpheus onto his back in the process. He grunted.

"Never surprise a slayer, because this is the type of ass whipping you will receive."

_"You really do think you're better than us." _It sounded like Trinity's voice, but Faith wasn't so sure.

"What did you say?" Faith hissed.

"I said you really do think you're better than him."

"No, I'm just know more, about who I am, what I am here for, destiny, soul, power, death, life, internal, external, I've seen it all. He hasn't and with me around hopefully he'll never have too."

"What you think you're his protector?"

"The slayer is the matriarch, she protects, his power was made from the slayer's, therefore he…" She froze realizing what she was about to reveal, what she was about to say. "The One is the offspring of the slayer." She spoke as though she herself was just realizing this as well.

Trinity had watched all that was taking place, but when Faith spoke that thought Trinity froze. "Is that what the changelings are?"

"Maybe," Faith replied, "I think the Oracle has some new questions to answer."

Oz had just finished refueling the ship and was waiting for El and Faith when the elevator doors opened and Trans exited.

"What's up?" Oz asked.

"I'm here to tell you that you have a window of two days to visit the Oracle."

"What?"

"Didn't you request to see her?"

"Well, yeah, but two days?"

"They need you back here to report whatever information she tells you."

"Why?"

The elevator doors opened to Faith and El, who rushed off and headed for the ship.

"Faith?" Oz asked.

"No time, I just realized something important about why exactly I have to go see her."

"What?" Trans asked.

"Something odd," El replied as she entered the ship.

"Faith?" Oz asked.

"Something about the connection between Neo and myself," Faith began to enter the ship.

Trans glanced at Oz, "I'm coming with you."

"What?" Both Faith and Oz asked.

"I need to, Zion is making me stir crazy and Ra is driving me up the bloody walls."

"Do you have permission?" Oz asked.

"Yeah, I asked when they gave me the message."

Oz gestured to the open hatch. Trans smiled and entered behind Faith with Oz following.

"Ivy, let's get out." Oz called into the ship as Twitch and Frost pulled up the ramp behind him.

They felt as the engine roared and the turbines began moving. Frost followed Twitch to the engine room as Faith and El went up to the guns. Trans followed Oz to the main command, as Kale started checking on the computers hooking them to the matrix. Ivy put on her headset and waited for the Zion security to open the bay doors.

Morpheus and Trinity made it back to the ship where the rest of the crew was waiting just in time to see the Apollo's Chariot exit Zion.

"Everyone get in the ship now! We're leaving!" Morpheus commanded.

The crew rushed on board as Neo moved toward his captain.

"What is it? What did she say?" He asked. Morpheus looked up at the man he believed to be their savior, but Neo could see something in his eyes. "What did she say?"

"Neo, I think you need to stop worrying about her and focus on your own destiny." Morpheus spoke as Tank closed the hatch behind them. "She didn't say anything, but it is very clear that you two are moving in different directions."

Neo didn't like that answer, so he turned without a word and headed for his room.

"Neo," Morpheus tried to call him back after realizing that he should have stayed quiet.

The next morning Frost entered the mess hall to find El alone staring at her bowl with her back to him. As he walked around her to get his own food he noticed that her bowl seemed only half full. She lifted her spoon, looked at it and then tilted it letting the goop slide off the spoon and plop back into the bowl. He took his portion and sat across from her. She either hadn't noticed him or was ignoring him he couldn't tell.

"So you like it rough?" He asked.

El stood. "Well, we both know who it is you want, so I'll leave you to her."

"What?" He stared up at her.

"I saw you, Deacon." She spat out his first name. "I saw you kissing her, I saw you kissing Ivy."

"El, I wasn't kissing her…"

"Really then what were you doing giving her CPR while standing up?" She spat out before he could explain.

"She kissed me, El!" He too stood. "She grabbed me, I would have rather stayed there and listened to your friends blabber about computer stuff, in there the matrix I was a little computer savvy."

"So what do we do?"

"About?"

'Is he really that dense?' she thought to herself.

As she thought he leaned over the table and kissed her. She was surprised for a second, but then leaned in toward him and deepened the kiss.

Faith started to enter the mess hall, but when she saw the pair she turned and left taking Twitch, who was behind her, with her. He smirked and mouthed, 'finally'.

Neo glanced over at Morpheus as they both quietly ate breakfast.

"How far out do we have to get before I can go in?" He asked.

"About two days' travel away in any direction, but north."

"Why north?"

"It's restricted, without the sun the North Pole still exists just as it was. It is rumored to be an extensive labyrinth of caves, it's too cold for the machines and for humans to survive, but it is also very dangerous. If you ever meet any in Zion there is a group called the Out Landers, it is their domain."

"They're humans?"

"A few, most are changelings who have adapted to the extreme cold and can live there."

"What do they do there?"

"There is a rumor that there is a Holy Grail type object there for the one person who is worthy, that is one of the things that you have to ask the Oracle about."

"It's supposed to help me defeat the machines?"

"No, one knows, but the Out Landers and the Oracle."

Faith watched as Oz showed her everything she needed to know about the operation and maintenance of the guns. She memorized everything he was telling her. He loaded the guns and showed her everything.

"When we go back to Zion we take these empty shells with us and they recycle them. Everything gets recycled, there is a crew called the Scavengers that lives in the sewers and collects bits of dead machines and destroyed ships and takes it all back to Zion to be recycled. We might come across them at some point, they hide their ship in dead ended tunnels and have guns hidden in holes to shoot at squids as they pass by."

"Sounds dangerous."

"It is, but they love it, a lot of them are pulled out of the matrix just because they are excellent marksmen."

"So everyone out here really has some type of job to do, huh?"

He nodded his head.

"Do you miss it?"

"The matrix?"

"Sometimes, I miss the sun, definitely not the moon."

She smiled.

"Do you?"

"I miss slaying in it purest form, the high it gives me."

"The hunt, the animalistic freedom, grass."

"Textures, the feel of a stake plunging."

"Are we really talking about slaying?"

"Sure, that and other things."

"Well, I don't know much about the others things, but tapping into your changeling powers in the matrix is a really great high."

"I'll bet."

"Ready?" Kale asked as Faith, Twitch and Trans laid back. Their two days wait had went by quickly and now they were going in. Hoping to beat Neo in, they awoke so early that Frost, El and Roin were still asleep.

"Ready," Faith replied as Oz shoved the jack into her head.

Faith stood in the construct and began simulating her outfit as the other two arrived. She wore a white tank top, low cut black jeans, steel-toed boots and a long black leather-duster jacket. She watched as Trans dressed himself in all black, pants, shirt, boots and a long duster. Twitch was dressed similar to Trans except his hair was blue with a shirt to match. They loaded up Faith took the same amount of guns as the other two, but also grabbed a sword and a spring loaded stake wrist cuff.

"You sure you'll need that?" Trans asked.

"I'm a slayer, where I go trouble always follows."

Twitch smiled as he loaded his gun and snapped the clips in, "well, I'm not complaining."

Faith watched as the construct disappeared and they found themselves in the same small repair shop as before. Twitch led them outside, where a black BMW X5 was waiting. "Someone has expensive tastes," Faith spoke, as she got in the back her phone rang.

"What's up?"

It was Kale, "Move now!"

"Twitch, back us out." Faith commanded.

Just as they pulled out of the spot, a car began to materialize in front of them.

"Fuck," Faith whispered as she looked up to see Morpheus, Neo, and Trinity exit the building.

As Twitch pulled out onto the street, Faith rolled her window down. "What's the hurry? She'll still be talking to me by the time you get there." She yelled out as Twitch drove off. She turned back to the guys as Twitch dialed his phone.

"Kale, how were they able to do that?"

"Got me, they must have been dialing just as you hung up. You're all clear to drive straight there, but hurry up."

As they got closer Faith could feel Neo, she turned around and saw their car gaining on them. "He just won't give up, it's just another block right? I can run."

"I'll go with you," Trans spoke.

"I'm fast."

"I'll make you faster."

Twitch stopped at the red light, "Trans, go with her, and hurry up, I have a bad feeling." As they both slid out, Twitch called out to them. "Keep in touch."

Faith began to run toward the building, but Trans grabbed her.

"What are you doing?"

He didn't reply, instead he gripped her arm tighter and then pulled her through the wall of the building next to them. Once inside he loosened his grip. "These buildings are all connected, then we just cross an alley and we're in the Oracle's building, you in?"

She grasped his hand tightly, "lead the way."

Neo watched from the passenger seat as Faith and a man got out of the car and ran straight through the wall of a building. "What the hell?"

Trinity slammed on the breaks, "go!"

Neo leaped out of the car and began to run.

He leaped over dumpsters anything and everything in his way.

Faith arrived at the Oracle's door, but just as she reached for it the door was pulled open from the inside. There at the doorway was the Oracle.

"Ah, good you're just in time."

Faith looked down to see the Oracle holding a carpet bag. "Going somewhere?"

"Times are changing, and his questions are not as important as your answers."

"So I am looking for something?"

"Something, someone, you have to seek out the voice in the dark, it lives in the labyrinth of ice."

"Great more riddles." Faith sighed.

"You feel him coming?"

Faith paused and stretched out with her 'slayer' sense. "Yes."

"Then shut-up, listen and escort me to the elevator. I will talk with him when the time is right." After she spoke Faith took the bag and hooked her arm with the Oracle's and started toward the elevator. "Events are unfolding as we speak that are to lead Neo to his destiny, but you my dear need to find yours sooner. You are the warrior, the protector, prophet, savior and mother. You are the light in the caves, the knowledge you seek will unfold from your soul. What you have said so far is all true, keep answering your own questions, train, hone, find your daughters and never forget the past for it will come back."

Faith let the information run through her head. "I understand."

The elevator dinged, Faith turned her head as the door open. There was a man, Japanese by the looks, dressed in a karate outfit including the black belt.

"He is my protector." The Oracle smiled proudly.

Faith handed him the Oracle's bag. He nodded his head respectfully, Faith did the same.

As the Oracle stepped onto the elevator she held out her arm to stop the doors from closing. "You will have to make a very hard decision, both choices will have consequences, but you will choose the right one." She smiled, dropped her arm and the doors closed.

"FAITH!" Faith heard Neo scream, but she didn't move. In her mind she could see Neo running out of the Oracle's apartment and running toward him. Before he could get close enough to touch her, her phone rang.

"Slayer here."

"Faith, you have to get out now, sentinels!" Kale ordered.

"Take Twitch and Trans out, I might take a little longer."

"Faith, take Neo with you, there's a pay phone down at the Fish Market on Pollack Ave."

Faith clicked the phone shut, grabbed Neo's hand, and ran.

"Let go!"

"No, time Sentinels are closing in on our ships."

"What?"

When they reached the stairwell, Faith felt an odd twinge as Trans appeared before her.

"Ass, you scared the hell out of me!"

He didn't reply, except to grab both her and Neo's hands. "Jump!"

Faith bent her knees and leaped up, but instead of landing all three floated straight up ward.

"What the Hell!" Neo exclaimed, except they were traveling through a wall as he spoke so he sounded muffled. They popped up on the roof of the building; they were surrounded by police officers and two helicopters.

"Faith Wyndom-Price, you are under arrest!"


	17. She isn't the Only Dreamer

**Chapter 16**

**She Isn't the Only Dreamer**

"Friggin' great!" Faith exclaimed.

Neo groaned as he searched for a way out of this mess as Trans glanced over the edge of the building.

"What cha looking at?" Faith asked quietly.

"The subway system runs under here. Yo, Neo, when's the next train?"

"Twenty minutes," Neo replied without a pause.

"Good boy," Faith commented as she took Trans' hand.

Neo grasped the changeling's hand and all three leaned back and fell off the building. With Trans' help, they slipped straight through the cement and landed in a dark dank subway tunnel.

Faith flipped her phone open.

* * *

Oz glanced at the screen as the trio appeared on the roof, "it's a trap isn't it?" 

"Looks like," Kale spoke.

Oz turned and ran toward the cockpit where Ivy was awaiting orders. "How far?"

"They seemed to have split into teams, Morpheus must be near by."

"How far?"

"Four miles," Ivy yelled back.

"El, guns," Oz yelled knowing that El was still standing with Kale, "Frost, engine room, Kale, do we have Twitch yet?"

There was a loud gasp, and then Twitch spoke, "that was close."

Oz stepped over and unhooked him. "Engine room, sentinels are coming."

Twitch sat up, "aye, aye Capitan!"

* * *

Neo started to lead the way out of the tunnel when it started to shake. 

"Shit!" Faith yelled.

Trans grabbed them and pushed them into a wall as an express train rushed by.

"They're on to us." Neo spoke as they emerged from the wall after the train had passed.

"Yeah, well we don't have much time Sentinels are attacking our ships we have to go!" Faith replied as she started running for the nearest platform. Once they got back to the platform, they ran straight up the stairs to find SWAT teams and police waiting for them.

"Got anymore tricks?" Faith asked Trans.

"Jump and we'll see."

Neo started to bend his knees to jump when he felt a great burst of power, he let it build up and then explode. With the explosion he shot straight upward pulling the other two with him. He could hear Faith cursing below him.

"Head west," Trans yelled.

* * *

"Morpheus!" Tank screamed. 

Morpheus jumped down along with Trinity to see Tank pointing at the screen before him. "How is he doing that?" Tank asked.

"Because he's the one." Trinity spoke.

"He can fly?" Kale exclaimed.

* * *

Oz just stared at the screen. 

"How?"

"He's a changeling?" Oz whispered.

"Are you asking me or telling me?"

"Both."

* * *

Neo felt the power rush through him, but he also felt Trans squeezing him hand so tightly that he might fracture Neo's hand. 

"Hey, super boy, we have to head east!" Faith yelled.

Neo changed direction with ease and glanced down at Faith. She was staring at the city below her. He wished she would look up at him, but she didn't. He wondered about her, why had the Oracle only wanted to see her and not him? What did the Oracle say? He glanced down and saw the pay phone they were looking for. He landed in front of it as it began to ring. Faith took it and handed it to Trans.

"What did she say, I have to know." Neo demanded as Trans dematerialized.

She hung up the phone. "No, you don't, but the labyrinth is not for you it's for me. This is your world, out there is mine. She'll contact when she's ready right now, she's in hiding, why I don't know."

It rang again and she handed it to Neo, "your crew is in trouble hurry."

* * *

Neo awoke to see Tank blasting at a squid, Tank glanced back. "He's out!" He screamed. 

Trinity yanked the plug from Neo's head and then ran for the guns on the roof. Neo leaped out of the chair to help Tank when the machine was hit by the electrical charge. The machine was shocked, shut-down, and fell. Neo rushed to pull Tank out of the way. As he pulled him away Neo felling something wet and sticky, Neo laid Tank on the floor to see a large gash in Tank's gut.

"You're safe, that's all that matters." Tank gasped.

"No, it's not." Neo said as he tried to bandage Tank.

"Give it up, I'm dying."

"No, you can't, not like this."

"Neo, take care of them, they believe in you." Tank sighed and closed his eyes.

"Tank! Tank!"

Morpheus and Trinity dropped down next to Neo.

* * *

Faith glanced up at Kale, "did he get out in time?" 

"I don't know, an EMP just went off so I guess so."

"Faith, guns!" They heard Oz yell from above.

Faith leaped out of the chair and leaped straight up to the upper deck. She sat next to El. "Any get past you yet?"

"Nope."

Faith swung her chair around and waited.

Oz glanced down and watched the screen clear. The threat had been neutralized, but at what cost. "Ivy, find them."

* * *

Everything was silent as Morpheus wrapped Tank's body in a blanket and moved it to Tank's room. THUNK! Neo and Trinity glanced at the ceiling before running to the gun deck. As they got there they could hear voices above them at the exit hatch. 

"Think anyone's alive?"

"Possible, if not we have to take this back to Zion, report casualties and such."

"Scratch, I don't want to see bodies, it makes me queasy."

Trinity picked up a hand-held tazer gun.

"You hear some'n."  
The hatch was unlocked and opened. A man's head popped in, his eyes widened at the sight of the gun.

"Whoa, Scavengers, here, we saw you get attacked, just here to help."

"Scavengers?" Neo asked.

"Yup, just here to help."

"Where was your help when we were getting attacked?" Trinity asked glaringly.

"Out here shooting, what were you doing?"

"Probably waiting for someone to pop out," the other Scavenger replied from outside.

The one with his head in the hatch sighed. "Want to come out, we'll show you the guns." He pulled himself out of the hole. Trinity put the gun down and followed. Neo followed her. They stood on the roof of the ship and looked at the wall of the tunnel. There in holes and large cracks were men and women with guns and harpoons. Most were watching them, while others were reloading their guns and repairing things.

"Trinity! Neo!" They could hear Morpheus calling.

"Up here, el Capitan!" The one named Scratch called down into the hatch.

Morpheus appeared a minute later. "Who are you?"

"Rat and Scratch, scavengers extraordinaires at your service," Scratch replied.

"Well, more like at ours." Rat mumbled and was poked in the ribs by Scratch.

"Scavengers, so I assume you need something?"

"What we can't be concerned for your safety, and ask why you alerted the machines to our presence here?" Scratch asked.

Morpheus just glared at him.

"Fine, we'll ask the other ship for a ride." Rat added.

"What other ship?" Morpheus asked as he climbed up onto the roof.

"That one," Rat replied pointing to his right.

All heads turned to see the Apollo's Chariot hovering nearby. The top hatch opened and Faith emerged.

"You all alright?" She yelled.

Morpheus glared at her.

"Just dandy, milady." Rat yelled back.

"Oz, wants to know if you need at tow back."

"We are fine." Morpheus spoke.

"You guys need a ride," she asked the two scavengers.

They looked back at Morpheus.

He glared at Faith, "no, they will be returning with us."

She waved and then hopped back into the ship; the hatch closed behind her.

* * *

Neo ignored them and climbed back inside. He needed a nap. He entered his room and closed and locked the door. He laid down, pulled the blanket over his head and fell asleep. 

He found himself in an icy cave lit by balls of fire hanging down from the ceiling. Facing him was a block of ice with an object sticking out of it. Before he could get closer to see what it was, a petite blonde woman appeared in front of it. She stood with her hands behind her back and wore a face of pure mockery. "So you're _the One_? I don't feel any power. No real strength, I understand the slayer, but you're just second rate."

"Who are you?" He asked.

"Me? I'm the whisper in the dark, the evil essence, the devil on your shoulder, invincible, indestructible, forever," she spoke with a sneer.

"Nothing is forever." He rebutted.

"Nothing tangible," she replied.

Before he could ask, she punched her right hand right through his chest. He felt nothing; it was like a ghost passing through him.

"Nothing tangible," she repeated. Then before his eyes, she morphed into Tank. "I have no form, no true form that you can conceive. Human eyes cannot comprehend my true form."

"So what are you?"

"She knows, she's battled my forces, she might even resurrect them."

"Why?"

"To continue to exist, to help you; you are part of her. You must learn to feel her, as a child can feel its mother in the womb."

Neo leaped out of bed, Morpheus stood before him. "I need you to help me start up the engine."

Neo shook his head, but heard a faint whisper behind him. "Feel her as you feel me," he turned but there was nothing there.

"Neo, what is it?"

Neo turned back around. "The whisper in the dark," he replied.

"Nonsense, that's some ridiculous changeling story."

"Morpheus, I am a changeling!"

"No, you're the One."

"I'm both, the son of a changeling and the fulfillment of the prophecy."

"Who gave these ideas? Faith, did Faith tell you this junk?"

"The whisper in the dark; haven't you figured it out? In there only the changelings believe in prophecies anymore, yet you claim that I fulfill one. Figure it out, Morpheus!"

* * *

Rat and Scratch stood just outside the door listening to them argue. 

"The whisper in the dark," Neo replied.

"Nonsense, that's some ridiculous changeling story." Morpheus scoffed.

"Scratch, isn't that the story the Out Landers are always talking about?" Rat asked nervously.

"Yeah, real spooky business," Scratch replied.

"So it's been talking to the One? Is that good?"

"Doubt it, the whisper in the dark is supposed to be like evil."

"Thought so," Rat was silent for a minute. "So what's going on?"

"I'm both, the son of a changeling and the fulfillment of the prophecy." Neo yelled.

"Who gave these ideas? Faith, did Faith tell you this junk?" Morpheus sounded angry.

"I don't know, but I think we just signed onto the loony ship." Scratch replied.

"I should have never suggested we help these freaks." Rat mumbled.

"No, you really shouldn't." Scratch agreed. "We should have went with the slayer."

"Yeah, she was hot."

* * *

Trinity listened to the conversations. She worried about Neo; he had a lot on his shoulders. Whether Morpheus was right or wrong, it doesn't matter this is Neo's fight. It was for him to figure out. The 'whisper in the dark' part scared Trinity, she too had heard the conversations. The Out Landers were important people in Zion; they had actually evolved. They weren't human and they weren't changelings, they were something else. They barely visited Zion, because the heat was too much for them. They were a mystery. Some in Zion think they protected a weapon for the One. Others think they are guarding something from the humans, something evil and dangerous. There are rumors that say that if anyone were to ever come for what the Out Landers protect they will have to pass a series of trials first. 

"I don't know, but I think we just signed onto the loony ship." Scratch replied.

"I should have never suggested we help these freaks." Rat mumbled.

She smiled, out of all of the different groups in Zion; she had considered asking to join the Scavengers. They reminded her of gypsies, not in a bad way either. They were a very close knit group, like a family. She missed that feeling. She wondered if Rat and Scratch were brothers.

Suddenly the door to Neo's room swung open with a bang. Trinity turned to see Morpheus shocked that everyone was standing outside. He had only taken two steps out the door when Neo yanked it closed behind Morpheus with another loud bang. Trinity ignored Morpheus and headed for the bridge. She sat down and turned to see Rat had followed her.

"So he's the boss?" Rat asked.

"Yes, he's the captain."

"And the whiner is the One?"

Trinity restarted the ship and set a course for Zion, "Yes."

"So what does that make you?"

"First officer and Neo's girlfriend."

"Never had a captain," Rat replied.

"So who's in charge?" Trinity asked.

"Anyone, but the machines," he replied, "when it comes to survival, there's no time for politics; probably why the council barely stands us. Sides Scratch is the only captain I need."

Trinity smiled, "so are you brothers?"

"Yup, they wanted just him, but he wouldn't go without me."

"Why did they just want him?" Trinity asked as she steered the ship around a bend.

"Scratch built harpoons for fishermen. They were spring loaded ones, but his were too powerful, used to rip straight through a fish. He was coming home from the docks one night, when he saw and agents fighting someone. He said it was an instinct."

"What?"

"He fired a harpoon at the agent, he said it was an instinct to shoot the agent and not the other guy. He hit the agent and killed the body it possessed. The guy asked Scratch to come with him, but he refused without me. The guy was uneasy about it, but said to meet him later. We came, I was skeptical, but if it meant getting out of that rundown poor town then I would do it. They put us through matrix training like everyone else, but we kept failing, so we got this instead. More fun anyway."

Trinity smiled as she steered the ship around another turn.

* * *

Neo stared up at the ceiling, angry at Morpheus; when a shiver of cold passed over him. He felt a warmth next to him, but saw nothing. The figure from the dream popped into his mind, "_feel her_". There was no one there, but he still felt an odd warmth next to him.

* * *

Faith lay on the floor under a gun adjusting the seat, she couldn't wait to get back to Zion so they could go and find what the Oracle told her about. She was feeling useless, a huntress without prey, a slayer without a demon to chase. Only in prison did she ever feel like this, but even then she had some way to take out her frustration. Whether it was proving herself to the other inmates or working her stress off out in the yard. Here it was too confined and claustrophobic. She put the tools down, without a way to blow off this energy she just wanted to sleep. She rolled onto her side and closed her eyes, in her mind she saw Neo laying on his bunk staring up at the ceiling. Her eyes popped open, maybe she'd sleep later.

* * *

I don't actually know how Tank died, but he must have since he wasn't in any other movies. I know this chapter was kinda blah, but the next chapters will be better promise, with less Neo and more Faith. Cause I don't want to end up rewriting the movies. 


	18. Lineage

**Chapter 17**

**Lineage**

As soon as their ship docked in Zion Faith and Oz left to talk to the council. Roin and Twitch began unloading stuff.

"Eww, man, I forgot how hot it is here."

They looked up to see Morpheus following two men off his ship. The younger one was the speaker.

Twitch and Roin smiled at each other.

"So, mister Morph, can we get a ride back to our crew once we load up on supplies?" Rat asked.

"I don't know when we are going back out."

"Well, we could always get a ride in with the slayer." Scratch suggested as they passed by Twitch and Roin. Rat gave them a wink.

As Twitch and Roin put down a box full of empty shells Twitch whispered. "I heard they lost their operator."

"Damn that man just can't get any luck."

They looked up to see Neo looking at them. "Have you seen Faith?"

Roin nodded his head, "yeah, she and Oz are talking to the council."

Roin and Twitch didn't wait for an answer, both walked back into the ship for another box. Roin shook his head, "he's like puppy that just won't go away."

El was tugging the other box of empty shells. "Do you know where Frost is?"

"Said something about a nap," Twitch replied.

El let go of the box she as she stomped out of the ship, "Damn him!"

* * *

"We need to go to the Outlanders." Oz stated. 

"Why?"

Faith stood next to Oz, "the Oracle told me to get what they have."

The doors opened and Morpheus entered, "why you?"

"Because she is the chosen one."

All eyes turned to meet golden ones. Ra stood.

"Neo is the one!"

Ra sighed annoyed, "yes, we know that, but Faith is the chosen one." He stepped down from his seat in the back.

"So it is true it is meant for her?" A council member asked Ra.

"It is."

"What are you talking about?" Morpheus asked.

"I am the messenger, Hermes with the golden slippers", as he said that he pointed to his eyes. "The messenger of the Oracle or gods, it's no coincidence that she's on the Apollo's Chariot. It's all fate."

Before Morpheus could object Ra began to chant in ancient Sumerian.

"Stand before me ancient

Sit next to me future

Alternate light

Untimely dark

Illuminate the mother

Before the son"

The space between the council and everyone else began to waiver. Neo entered the room just as women began appearing in the space. The first slayer stood at one end and at the other was a girl with blue and purple hair dressed in a ripped tank and orange pants. Between them were several girls each uniquely from a certain time period.

"B", Faith whispered.

Ra stepped up to Faith and touched her forehead. After a moment he removed his hand, placed it over the first slayer and she began to speak.

"We are Faith's lineage, after man's fall powers bestowed a son, a one. From slayers womb to machines mind, man was born. She has choice, he has battle. Weapon not a weapon, but tool. Man not have ability to wield tool, man have mind."

The last slayer turned to Neo.

"Go fight, leave Faith behind, the voice is her battle not yours. You have to fight for man. She has to fight for us; she will fight the dark and bargain for the light." She looked at Ra, "the truth lies in his eyes, but you will all remember soon."

The representation of Buffy smiled, "the messenger remembers us, just as the guide remembers me."

"Guide?" Faith asked.

"He is your link to the willowing spell."

"So it worked?"

Buffy smiled, "five by five, Little Miss Muffet counting down."

With that all the slayers vanished.

"Little Miss Muffet, what the hell does that mean?" Ra asked.

"Old joke, something only B would know. That doesn't mean that Buffy's dead does it?" Faith started to panic.

Ra shook his head, "only the voice does that. These representations come directly from the slayers chain; all the souls are linked. So they can be called upon, but it doesn't affect the living person."

The council members all seemed confused, but they masked it well. It was not their place to question Ra. "Well, then Oz permission granted, but you will need to take two more crew members. I understand Trans is already on your ship so you will need one other. You will also take the Scavengers that arrived with Morpheus. Only the Scavengers know exactly where you need to go."

The council man saw Morpheus about to open his mouth. "Captain Morpheus will leave to recruit ship captains who have not been to Zion lately. Dismissed."

As Faith and Oz left the chamber Morpheus brushed past them.

"Hey, I heard you need another crew member."

They looked up to see a tall muscular man with short spiky hair and a scruffy beard approach them. Ra stepped up next to Faith.

"Faith, this is Hannibal King, he was pulled out about a month before you were."

"Why you?" Oz asked.

"The oracle told me I was the slayers guide."

"_Just as the guide remembers me."_

"You know Buffy." Faith blurted out.

Hannibal paused and appeared to be thinking, "petite blonde, loved two vampires, killed the master, stopped Acathla…"

"How do you know all that?" Faith asked suspiciously.

"Long story, short version it was forced upon me, some moron was trying to gain control of the slayer line I tried to stop him and now I'm your guide. I know more about the slayer line than most slayers."

"Why you?" Oz asked.

"No idea other than the Oracle told me the slayer would need human strength for the cold ahead. So?"

"Let's go," Oz replied.

"Fuck yeah!" Hannibal hooted, "I'm finally getting some action!"

* * *

"So why do we need more crew members?" Faith asked Oz once they were back in their room. 

"The trip to the Outlanders is long and perilous. It's like taking a trip from Maine to China."

"Not so bad."

"By subway, several stops and interchanges."

"Yeah, that could be bad."

"We'll need to refuel when we reach the Scavengers, who are also the only people who know the exact location."

"And no one knows what it is I'm even after?" Faith asked.

"Exactly."

Faith turned to go to the bathroom, when she heard shuffling in her bedroom. She glanced in to see El lying on top of Frost kissing his neck.

"El, this may not, awh…" he gasped.

"Frost, shut up." El glanced up to see Faith smirking at her. El smiled back.

Faith went back to the other room and dragged Oz out. "We don't want to interrupt."

"What?"

* * *

With Oz and Faith off attending a meeting and the rest of the crew working Frost decided to sleep in. El entered the room to find Frost laid out on the bed on his back without a shirt. She quietly slipped onto the bed and startled him. She began to kiss his neck and chest. After about 20 kisses (yes, she was counting) he began to wake up. He mumbled something she didn't understand and slipped his hands onto her back and butt. She moved up from his chest to his jaw and lips. His eyes were still closed, but as he parted his lips his eyes fluttered and opened. His eyes opened wider, but she continued. Realizing she wasn't giving up he slipped his tongue out and licked her lips. As she pulled back both his hands started to pull away, but she put them back. 

"I love you," she whispered.

He stared at her.

She continued, "and we're at war, so I don't want anything to happen without you knowing. We're about to leave on this dangerous journey and I need you to know."

"Thank you," he replied.

She leaned forward and began kissing his chest again.

* * *

Once they were ready, Oz collected Rat and Scratch from Neo and Trinity's room. El and Frost disappeared into the ship as Faith went up to the gun deck with Hannibal. Twitch ands Rat went to the engine room as Trans and Kale retreated to their rooms. Scratch helped Roin restock and Oz and Ivy started the ship. 

"So what's it like out there?" Twitch asked.

"Freedom, sure we have a leader, but our whole goal in life is to destroy machines, there really isn't any down side. You like living on a ship?"

"Yeah, in there I was a naval engineer. I designed and fixed engines for the government. I spent my own life on ships. My father worked for the Japanese coast guard. After my mother left I stowed on board one of my dad's ships and lived there. One day Icon appeared on our ship he was trying to steal something, I stopped him and he offered me this. You?"

"My brother harpooned an agent, we're a package deal."

"Is that what he plans on installing on the ship?"

"Yeah, his newest design; half the guns put on newer ships are his designs. I know what you want to ask, but honestly I have no idea what the Out Landers do or where? Only our leader knows."

"I wasn't going to, if this will help then good, but I'm just along for the ride. It's all up to her."

* * *

"So how do you know Buffy?" Faith asked as she sat leaning against a wall. 

Hannibal sat across from her. "I don't know her, I know of her."

"How?"

Hannibal sighed and began unbuttoning his shirt.

"Whoa, what are y…" She broke off when she saw a very clear vampire bite on the right side of his neck.

"H-h-how?" She stuttered horrified.

"Odd thing is it happened in the matrix, but I still woke up with them out here. It's how I'm connected to you, you and all the slayers."


	19. Slayers' Guide

**Chapter 18**

**Slayers' Guide**

_**((This chapter will not come with breaks, because I want everything to weave together. If it gets confusing, slow down, it does make sense and it is all one back story.))**_

The leader took point as the four hunters entered the warehouse. Before them was a group of about 12 figures forming a circle around a girl and a small table. The table held burning incense, a dagger, a lit candle and several bottles of odd powders and liquids. The girl was held up by chains attached to her wrists secured to the ceiling and ankles secured to the floor. She didn't seem afraid, instead she looked pissed. She was biting the gag in her mouth hard and drool and blood dripped from the corners of her mouth. Her outfit of a tee shirt and jeans was ripped and dirty. The figures were chanting in some unknown language. The girl's eyes rounded and she began to struggle. The chains banged the floor loudly as the hunters silently spread out around the circled group. On cue one of the four hunters shot his gun at a figure. The figure turned and growled, he sure as hell wasn't human, most likely demon.

"Keep chanting," the injured demon yelled to his brethren.

"Kill them all!" The hunter yelled back.

The four hunters rushed forward and began dispatching demons right and left.

One hunter paused, watched as one of the demons cut the girl's stomach and let the blood stream into a bowl. The hunter began pushing past the chaos, "Cut her down," he yelled to a fellow hunter. Just as he reached the demon and girl he was knocked to the floor. He was pulled back up by two demons and held tightly.

"Hannibal King!" The demon before him turned identifying him mockingly.

Around them only about five demons remained alive including the two holding King.

"You fight well," the demon before him remarked, " but you know nothing of what goes on here." He held out the bowl, "would you like a taste?"

A hunter had moved behind the demon and now held the girl in his arms.

"Don't let the demons drink." She spoke as she gasped the dagger and threw in at Hannibal.

Hannibal struggled, but the dagger wasn't meant for him, it hit the demon holding him square in the jugular. Hannibal broke free and ripped the bowl from the demon.

"Hannibal, NO!" He heard Abby yell.

"I'll dump it." He threatened.

"Please do," a demon beside him spoke and Hannibal saw a tentacle slide out from under his robe. "Either way we'll get the sacrifice."

"You have to," the girl spoke.

Hannibal moved the bowl to his lips.

"Hannibal, no!" Abby repeated.

"Please, my lineage is in that bowl, they'll know everything, they'll kill my sisters."

"Hannibal, don't," another hunter spoke.

He ignored them all and drank the mixture down. The demons roared in anger, but the hunters soon silenced them. As the last drop hit Hannibal's stomach he dropped to his knees in pain. He screamed as images tore into his brain. Faces, so many faces, all female, young women, teenagers, all were…are warriors.

"_Slayers_" A voice in his head spoke. "_You accepted us, changed your destiny, become the guide._"

"_In every generation…"_

"_I'm_…" hundreds of girls' voices blended together all voicing names, "_the vampire slayer."_

Suddenly the faces slowed to show one in particular. He watched her get chosen, fighting, no slaying, he felt her pain, hate, fear, everything.

"_You killed a man."_

"_I don't care."_

The stake went in, but instead of dust blood came out. He felt and saw her life flying by, murder, confrontation, escape, jail, and freedom. He saw her escape jail to help a vampire in a darkened LA. She helped lighten LA and returned to another town and helped save those in it.

"_She is your path, you shall guide her."_

((Gasp))

"He's awake."

Abby was standing glaring at him. Zoë was sitting on his bed. Sommerfield checked his stats.

"We weren't sure you were going to wake up." She told him.

"That was stupid, King." Abby told him.

"Is she here?"

"No, her sister took her from the hospital, before we could question her."

"Her sister?"

"Yeah, tall brunette, huge attitude," Abby replied.

"How long have I been out?"

"A month, I just pulled you out of Danica's hands and you do this?" Sommerfield asked. "Were you craving?"

"No, the girl told me I would be saving her lineage."

"Did you?" Zoë asked.

"I think so."

"I did you know, the demons they were trying to gain access to the slayer line. They wanted to destroy it from the inside out. I stopped them, but at the same time I dammed myself. Instead of finishing my life in the matrix with Abby I had to come out here and guide you. I was out one night with the Nightstalkers, when I saw her, B. She was with a group of girls training them. Even though I tried to stop Abby she insisted on helping."

"Abby, wait!"

Whistler ran ahead she shot her arrow at the vamp about to attack the blonde. The woman turned and glared at her. King pulled Abby away before she could stake another.

"What the hell are you doing?" The blonde yelled. "Now well have to go out and capture ourselves another vamp. Do you know how hard that is?"

"Capture?"

"I'm sorry, Buffy, I really have to learn to keep a leash on her."

"Wait, how do you know my name?"

Hannibal hadn't even realized he had done that. As he thought about it, images of her flashed through his mind.

"Well, you're famous, Buffy the vampire slayer, the oldest slayer."

The woman's eyes narrowed.

"You faced Dracula, well, Vlad the Impaler."

It was Abby's turn to glare at him.

He ignored her, "Buffy, I need to find Faith."

"Why?"

"I was sent to talk to her."

"By who?" Both Abby and Buffy asked, and then both girls turned to look at each other.

"The powers, please I just need to talk to her."

"I haven't heard from her in over a month." She spoke, but Hannibal knew she was lying.

"When was this?" Faith interrupted.

"Apparently you were laying low from the police at the time."

"Oh, go on."

Two nights later Hannibal and Abby are chasing after a pack of vampires at the docks. Ahead of him Hannibal sees a woman leap across rooftops with a man in a suit chasing her. Thinking its Faith he leaves Abby and follows after the pair. As he rounds a corner Hannibal watches the woman run clear off the end of the roof and land on her feet a few yards from him. He runs to her, but she doesn't see him and turns and shoots at the man chasing her. Hannibal watches as sparks rips through the body and the man's form changes to a young girl. Suddenly Hannibal feels something trying to enter him, he then hears an odd voice.

"_What, your form is alien, what are you…you are a defect, must fix."_

Hannibal screamed, he saw the woman watching him with wide eyes. "Get out of my head."

The woman raised her gun at Hannibal.

Hannibal fought with everything he had and expelled the being. He fell to his knees gasping. The woman watched him warily.

"Who are you?" She asked.

He gasped, "Hannibal King."

"Why are you following me?"

"Thought you were someone else, you know what that thing was?"

She nodded her head.

"What?"

"The truth."

Hannibal saw images from the being rush through his head. Then the voice of the first slayer spoke.

"_This truth, use her, free yourself, find faith, guide, destiny."_

He looked up at her, "I want to be free, that thing showed me the truth can you help me?"

The woman was stunned, "I…how?"

"Please, you can free me, I know about the machines."

"King!" They heard Abby yell.

"Please, now, before I get dragged farther away. I seek the truth."

She nodded her head. "Come with me."

"She brought me out, I couldn't say goodbye to Abby, she…"

"She would never be able to understand."

"No, she wouldn't. I spent a month on a ship, before we docked in Zion. I met Ra and the first slayer told me to wait here. Ra knew I could see the truth in people, because of her. So he avoided me, one night I bumped into him, directly."

Hannibal turned the corner on the way to bed he was exhausted from a hard day of repairing ships and matrix training. His head was down as he rubbed the back of his neck. He felt himself hit something soft, but before he could look up images began to flash through his mind.

_Ancient Sumeria, a young man being sired; the man then rises to a godly stasis by mortals who fear him. He rules Egypt until the Romans come and topples his temple. The man wanders through history; he remains passive watching history unfold. He travels and while in the new world with the Vikings he comes across a mortal girl with power. She fights him and when he tastes her blood he learns about her, Slayer. Time passes, worlds change, leaders rise and fall. Then the machines are created, the man dislikes technology so he helps the slayer fight. She falls and he misses his chance to leave this dimension. The machines capture him in battle and begin to run tests on him. They extract his DNA before he finally escapes and hides. When men fall he remains, when men rebels he joins and waits. For only he knows where the tool is hidden and only he can know who she is when she returns. For the powers have cursed him and he will remain in their power until they find a new prophet; they tell him the prophecy and he tells the humans. They begin to hope and he falls into despair._

Hannibal was shoved away, but even as he hits the ground he doesn't feel. His body is humming with the possibilities that this man this creature shows him. Hours later, he opens his eyes he is still in the same cavern alone. Days pass before Hannibal sees the creature again, but now he realizes that the vampire is openly avoiding him. Finally after a month when rumors of the slayer and the One being found Hannibal confronts the vampire. Hannibal was getting on an elevator just as the vampire was getting off. Since no one else was around Hannibal grabbed him and threw him back in.

"Hi," Hannibal spoke as the doors closed; he pressed the stop button just as the elevator had started to move.

"I don't have anything to say to you."

"Really, cause I know a young Viking girl who would love to come out and play."

The vampire's eyes widened for a second before returning to their cold stare, "so the guide has arrived, then she really is the slayer."

"Name's Hannibal," he held out his hand to shake.

The vampire glared at it, "Ra."

"Like the god?"

"I was once, no longer, they all think it's just a name."

"So why are you avoiding me?"

"I was told that you were a seer and I know you saw me."

"No one here does?"

"No, I keep my past private so the humans don't have to know that there are worse things out there."

"But you are a true vampire, not just an alteration like the changelings?"

"You saw, what they did to me."

"Just making sure, you didn't put it there."

"Didn't the Oracle show your path?"

"No, she said she couldn't help me that the slayer wouldn't allow it. She only told me about the slayer, stuff I already knew."

"Well, from what the powers told me, you are the guide, the rational mind for the slayer. You're her connection to both the powers and her past. Have you wandered the matrix?"

"Yeah, it doesn't agree with me anymore."

"Then it has begun, the slayer, the primal is changing you to be a vessel, a seer."

Faith watched as Hannibal finished. "I don't know what to say." She whispered.

"You don't have to, I already know."

"But you never went to the Oracle?"

"I did, she watched me enter, but she had no words for me. I already knew what I was and why I was there. So I left."

"And Ra, he's a god?"

Hannibal smiled. "Explains a lot doesn't it?"

"Not really."


	20. Eye for an Eye Power for Power

**Chapter 19**

**Eye for an Eye Power for Power**

Rat and Scratch departed from the ship after installing a new gun on the ship with powerful harpoons. They wished Faith luck and then introduced Oz to their leader, the woman gave Oz his coordinates and they were sent on their way. A week had passed before Oz was able to give the coordinates to Ivy without another ship picking up on their destination.

* * *

Neo stood scared as the squids came closer and closer. 

"You have the power," he heard the voice whisper in his mind.

"Not out here," he whispered back.

"You and she share power, she's not using it, take it, save your girlfriend." Neo looked up and saw the fear in Trinity's eyes.

So he reached within himself to his connection with Faith. As he raised his hand he pulled the power into himself.

"_What are you doing?"_ He heard Faith ask.

He released the power and destroyed the squids. Then everything went black.

* * *

Faith listened as Oz gave the Ivy the coordinates. 

"_Not out here."_ She heard Neo whisper.

"Neo?" She asked.

The other three turned to her.

"Faith?" Oz asked.

Hannibal tensed.

"What are…"

Hannibal grabbed her as she fainted.

"Faith! King, what's going on?" Oz demanded.

Hannibal closed his eyes, "Neo, he, he drained her power somehow. He used her slayer strength, her life-force and turned it into a weapon."

"What?" Ivy panicked.

"Ivy, we need to get to the Outlanders ASAP!" Oz ordered.

"Aye, captain." She replied as she finished entering the coordinates and turned the ship around.

Hannibal carried Faith to the infirmary.

"Faith, how?" Roin asked.

"Neo thinks walking around in people's heads is okay."

"What?"

Hannibal laid her on the table, and then fainted himself.

Oz entered a minute later, "what…"

"I don't know either, sir." Roin replied as he bent over, picked up King and laid him on the table next to Faith.

* * *

King glanced around, he was in the hallway of a prison in each cell around him scenes from Faith's life were playing out like scenes from an old fuzzy TV. 

"_Little Miss Muffet counting down from 7-3-0."_

"_Faith, you killed a man."_

Neo appeared at the end of the hall.

"_In every generation…"_

"Who are you?" Neo asked.

"_Bu-ffy."_

Hannibal realized the question was directed at him.

"I'm the slayers' guide; I see what she can't and protect the line." Hannibal repeated what the Oracle told him. "What do you think you were doing?"

"_You can't do that it's wrong."_

"What is all this?" Neo asked as he walked closer.

"This Faith, in her purest form, but it's confused, because of you."

A male's voice echoed through the hall_. "I've never been up with people before."_

"Neo, why?" They heard Faith whisper.

"The voice said it was okay."

"The voice is evil," Hannibal told Neo.

"No, but…"

Faith cut them off by showing the voice as it appeared to Neo, it morphed into a preacher. Before the preacher appeared a man.

"_You're the one who sees everything, aren't you?"_ The preacher pressed his thumb into the man's eye socket.

"No," Neo called out and the scene froze. "It said it was our shared power."

"It was her life force, you have to repay what you took." Hannibal told him.

"With what?"

"_An eye for an eye," _the preacher spoke as the man before him vanished. He turned and stepped toward Neo.

"Your fight is in there!" Faith yelled. "They told you, Ra told you not to listen to the voice!"

"Why do you think only changelings can hear it?" Hannibal asked.

"What?"

"_William the Bloody with a chip in his head, I kinda love this town."_

"Faith, concentrate," Hannibal called out.

"Five by five."

"Neo, you have to. I'm losing her." Hannibal yelled out.

"I-I don't know."

"_Just let it come, like the lord to his flock," _the preacher spoke

Neo stood strong as the preacher came closer.

"_He killed her, didn't he?"_

"_They don't have a word for what he did to her."_

* * *

Hannibal awoke to see Roin and Kale watching him. 

"How long was I out?"

"A week," Roin replied.

"Faith will be along soon."

"What happened?"

"Neo, he fed off her strength, but don't worry, momma gave him a nice spanking."

Frost appeared in the doorway, "you have to see this!"

Hannibal stood on top of the ship with Trans, El, Frost, Twitch and Oz; before them stood the entrance to a massive ice cave.

"Fuck me sideways!" Hannibal swore.

"No thank you," they all watched as a man rose up from below. He stood on a large square of metal with booster rockets attached to the bottom. His eyes traveled across them all. "Your pilot looks cold, you shouldn't be here." The man was tall and thin his skin was pale white, his lips and irises were sky blue.

"We have come for the Outlander's tool." Oz spoke.

"Tool? Who are you?"

"Captain Oz, this is the Apollo's Chariot."

"But it is not you who seeks the labyrinth's prize."

"One minute," Hannibal interrupted holding up his index finger before jumping back into the ship.

Roin was waiting below with Faith in his arms.

"They will need the warrior." He spoke as he handed Faith to Hannibal.

Hannibal reemerged with Faith in his arms. "She is here for the tool."

"She, a girl?"

"The slayer."

The man wrinkled his brow, "name?"

"Faith."

"And yours?"

"Hannibal King."

"She arrives in the arms of a king, guide of warrior, slayer of evil, guardians both." The man spoke. "There is a test."

"Of course."

The man stepped aside making room for Hannibal on his hover board. "You should go inside, keep warm it will be a long wait."

"Your name," El burst out, "what is it?"

"Apollo."

Hannibal entered the cave with Apollo.

"First you must wake her." A woman's voice spoke.

"Who is that?" Hannibal asked.

Apollo smiled, "both of you must pass a test, yours is trust. There are many voices here, which ones should you trust."

Hannibal nodded his head and then reached into his connection with Faith.

"_All the same, I hear this holler in the distance."_ Faith whispered.

"Wake up, we're here. Time to save the world." He felt her stir and pulled out.

"Still weak," she whispered.

He opened his eyes and met hers. She blinked taking in her surroundings. "Go test," she told him, "we're running out of time." She watched as Hannibal put her on her feet and the turned to the Outlander. The Outlander handed him a torch from the wall, Hannibal took and watched as the Outlander pointed to the wall to their right.

"This is your entrance; you might fight in and then fight your demons to pass."

Hannibal seemed confused at first; he walked up the wall and ran his hand down it. He then backed up and side kicked it. It shattered like candy glass. He turned back to Faith. "Good luck," and then turned back and entered.

Once he was out of eat shot Faith spoke, "mine isn't a test, it's a choice."

"That's right, take a torch from the wall, when the light goes out in the entrance my people will know you have arrived."

"And Hannibal?"

"His path leads back to you. If he fails he will not return."

Faith didn't reply she turned and entered the tunnel. She sighed.

* * *

"Hannibal," a voice whispered. Abby appeared before him. "Why are you here?" She asked. 

"For Faith," he replied.

"Are you?"

"Does it matter, you're not really here? I left my Abby in her pod."

Abby faded away, "you can't help her."

The next voice sent shivers down King's spine, "Hannibal, my little fuck bunny, where are you?"

Faith left Apollo and started down the dark tunnel at her left. She started to walk a bit faster to get to the end sooner. As she walked she turned to look at the icy walls, along her right the ice seemed lit from within. She realized it was Hannibal. She continued on as the tunnel twisted and turned.

'Danica, crap!' He thought.

"King, you can't help her. She's a slayer, what are you going to do hold her hand?"

"I see what she can't."

"Ghosts of a fucked past?"

"Memories."

"So you go from being my prized pet to the slayer's crystal ball?"

"At least I'm not being used."

"But you always are, you're the power's puppet."

"No, I help."

"So you do hold her hand?"

Hannibal was getting frustrated.

Then another character entered the space, it was Buffy. "From my understanding, she has been in two comas and fought her way out of both. I'm beginning to think it is the only rest she really gets."

"See I helped her out of a third."

"But she was the one to Neo, what did you do?"

Hannibal ignored them and pushed ahead. He knew in his heart why he was there. No one was going to sway him otherwise.

* * *

At the end of the tunnel Faith began to hear voices arguing. One sounded a lot like Buffy's the other was definitely female. She entered a large cavern to see a female version of Apollo standing before her. 

"Are you the guardian?" Faith asked.

"I am and you the slayer?"

"Faith."

"How fitting," she smiled warmly.

"Funny and ironic is more like it."

Faith turned her head to see Buffy standing before her.

"And it's the first," Faith spoke snidely.

"Yeah, what can I say, I live in the hearts of every human including the pod people."

"So you whisper in the dark? How very stalkerish of you."

"Humans name, not mine."

"We are here to discuss fate." The guardian interrupted.

"What did the vampire tell you?" The first asked.

"Ra, nothing."

The first and the guardian stepped away from what they were hiding behind them. Like Excalibur the scythe was stuck blade down in a square pillar of ice. It looked different. Instead of red and silver, it was a black with red swirling on it as though alive.

"What happened to it?" Faith asked.

"The slayers did not have access to the scythe until right before the creation. As it happened in the matrix she found the tool and sunk the Hellmouth. She had a dream and called upon the spirit of the guardians. My grandmother's grandmother arose and she helped the slayer keep the tool safe."

"The machines rose against man and the demons left this dimension in fear." The first spoke changing its appearance from Buffy's to Angel's. "Our favorite vampire offered to send the slayer away, she refused and he missed the portal, too."

"Ra?" Faith asked.

Both nodded their heads.

"He helped her hide as the machines began taking demons and vampires. They spelled the scythe to slice through metal." The first continued.

"For the war started, she reemerged and fought. In the end she was killed the next slayer was born in the matrix. Ra and we guardians hid the scythe here."

"And the changelings? How?"

"The machines don't comprehend, but when they took DNA from demons and replicated it they couldn't fix it so they left it. That and I protected them, I may work my way, but the machines have no side but their own."

"How noble of you. So what do I lose in gaining the scythe?"

"Not lose, gain," the guardian spoke.

"You take the scythe and reopen the portal." The first added.

"For the demons to return?" Faith asked.

Both nodded their heads.

"And if I say no I go back empty handed?"

They nodded their heads again.

"All the demons at once?"

"No, I agreed to let the portal open every six months and release five demons each time."

"Where?"

"Any where."

"One more question, Willow's spell, is it real?"

"Magic is magic, it exists the same everywhere." The guardian spoke.

"All the slayers are still sleeping anyway." The first added.

"You do this and you not only release the slayers, but the changelings as well." The guardian spoke.

"So what do you choose?" The first asked.

* * *

Hannibal could see a light up ahead. 

"She'll choose evil." Danica whispered.

"No, she'll choose what's right."

"Too much faith," Abby whispered.

"No, such thing."

He found himself at a dead end with a wall of ice before him. Beyond the ice he saw Faith standing before a woman who reminded him of Jadis from the Narnia books and a man in a black trench coat. He watched as the man's form changed into an older man in a tailored suit.

"Don't use his image to bully me!" Faith yelled angrily.

The man changed into another with bleached hair in a leather trench coat.

Hannibal kicked the wall. It cracked, but didn't break. He watched as Faith with her back to him stepped up onto a block of ice and bent over. He kicked the wall again and this time it broke.

"His will is stronger than we thought," the woman spoke.

Faith pulled something out of the ice, "of course, he's my guide." She turned to face him in her hands she held what looked like a wicked axe. A flash of Buffy holding red one blinked before his eyes. "The stake end is metal." He spoke without thinking.

She glanced down to see that he was right.

"It's silver," the guardian told them, "trees are extinct, vampires shall be killed with silver."

"Ash either way," the first spoke in a British accent.

"Indeed," the guardian agreed.

"So shall we go?" Hannibal asked.

"The whipping boy blinds into battle," the first spoke.

"Spike doesn't fit the cryptic talk." Faith told it.

* * *

Trans stood on the top of the ship, when a wave of power hit him and he felt himself begin to ship into the ship. He slipped down to the gun deck, before he gained control of himself and stopped staring around in shock. Frost was eating in the mess hall with Twitch and El when he felt a horrid pain in his gums. He fell backward off the bench. Before El could run to his aid he jumped up onto the table in a crouch. He hissed and the two watched as his canines had elongated into fangs. Frost could smell El's fear; his other senses were just like they were in the matrix. He stared at her confused. Oz was with Ivy and Kale when he began to sprout fur. 

"Faith!" He growled as he forced himself to change back.

Back in Zion Mystic felt power surge through her as Newt saw sparks appear around her fingers. Ra was talking to a magma demon named Lava when her body ignited. He jumped away to avoid being burned.

"She chose," the voice whispered, "gods fall."

"I'm not a god, she humbled me." He whispered his reply.

* * *

Faith turned to leave, but stopped and turned. "I'm going to recruit champions, you haven't won." 

"I never do," the first replied in Kakitos' form.

Faith turned and left with Hannibal a step behind.


	21. Fight Beside Me

**Chapter 20**

**Fight Beside Me**

Morpheus was back at Zion helping fight the machines as they attacked.

"Anyone here from Faith?" He heard a changeling running by ask.

Ra who was beside his shook his head.

Morpheus saw a flash of light out of the corner of his eyes, he turned to see a woman engulfed in flames jump at a machine.

Suddenly he heard a single woman's scream followed by cheers. He looked up to see the Apollo's Chariot enter Zion, then he saw her as she leaped off the top of the ship and fly toward a squid. Tentacles rushes at her, but as they neared she pulled an axe from her back and sliced clear through the metal tentacles. Morpheus' jaw dropped. She landed on her feet as the severed tentacles fell around her. Morpheus looked up to see the top hatch open again. It was a man, an Outlander; he jumped off and landed on a hover board a few feet down. He soared at the fiery girl, as he got within a yard of her icicles sprouted from his body. He ripped one off his shoulder and threw it at a near by squid. It tore straight through the squid and out the other side.

"Now do you believe?" Ra yelled.

"How?"

"The slayer found her tool and guide after splitting from the one. Now he has to keep up his half."

"Splitting? Neo's her son, I don't…"

"No, her equal, her clone, her twin, you don't know how to listen do you? I kept trying to tell you. The powers created her and the machines created him from her DNA."

Morpheus reloaded the gun silently praying for Neo.

* * *

Faith felt it the very nano-second that Neo died. She heard his last breath echo in the mind and began to fall, Hannibal caught her before she hid the ground. 

"It's over," He told her and she watched over his shoulder as the remaining squids slowly backed away and exited the way they came. "Now you really get to be the slayer, when does the portal open?"

She met his eyes stunned, "how?"

Still holding her he bent his knee so he was kneeling one leg and she sat on the other, "I'm your guide, I see you."

"But your test?"

"I knew your choice would be right, without the scythe you would be dead."

"You saw my death?"

"I've dreamt it every night til I met you."

"What do you dream about now?"

He smiled, "killing demons."

* * *

A truth was formed between the machines and humans. Faith was allowed to enter machine city to retrieve Neo's body. 

As she held Neo's body, she yelled out, "I want you to know."

All the squids and machines near her froze and turned toward her.

"I am the slayer and I made a deal with the First Evil. The demons are returning. You may have a truth with us, but I alone cannot control them." She turned to leave. "Oh, the first one back is a dragon."

On that word there was a roar and the sound of wings beating the air.

* * *

"Faith, you're crazy I can't control a dragon alone!" 

Faith handed Hannibal the end of the huge cable, "don't do anything to spook it."

"Faith?"

"Hannibal, the test wasn't just about me, it was having faith in yourself as well. The power, the strength you had as a vampire is still with you. Hold the cable tight and let go when I yell."

"O-okay." Hannibal waited alone when he heard a voice.

"You are braver than her." A female voice whispered in a thick British accent.

He thought it was the whisper and ignored it.

"Boy, look at me."

He turned and almost passed out when the dragon opened its mouth and spoke. "She was terrified, I'd eat her; you are not, why?"

"You can talk!"

"Well, yes, I may be old, but I am not brainless."

Hannibal's jaw was slowly falling down. "Uh-huh."

"Boy, do not worry; you are important I am not allowed to eat you. I just want to have fun with the robots."

"I want you to know!" They heard Faith yell.

"Well, that's my cue have fun with the slayer, boy."

"Hannibal."

"Pardon?"

"Name's Hannibal King," he spoke as he dropped the leash.

"Pleasure, I'm Morns Glory." The dragon spread her wings and jumped into the air. As she flew off Hannibal swore to himself.

Faith rejoined Hannibal five minutes later. "You don't appear bunt." She spoke as she laid the body on the ground. She pulled the blanket they had brought from Hannibal's hand.

"Morns Glory is an English dragon." He spoke still standing over her.

She was about to wrap the body in the blanket, "Han…"

"The dragon talks!" Hannibal cut her off loudly.

"I don't know which is stranger my life in the matrix or the real world."

"Were there dragons?"

She shook her head, trying not to smile. "No."

He bent down and helped her wrap up Neo's body.

She watched a Hannibal covered the face and she regretted punishing the boy. "Out here may just be more surreal." She spoke as she picked the body up again.

* * *

Deacon was trying hard to sleep in his bed back in Zion when he felt the bed dip. After his vampiric powers were returned to him he had avoided El. He feared hurting her. Upon arriving back in Zion he had locked her in a elevator shaft before joining the fight, but when he returned for her later she had broken out, the metal that been inhumanly bent. Faith had explained that El might be a slayer, which worried Frost more. He had killed slayers in the matrix. Faith had told him the story of Buffy and Angel, but Frost had met Angelus and refused to believe the tale. He remained still as El laid down on top of him. She lifted his upper lip and rubbed her index finger over his fangs. He was tempted to open his mouth and bite down, but before the thought could finish occurring he tasted blood. Her blood, what the hell was she doing! He was about to jump up and demand to know why. 

"I know you're awake, so I'm giving you a taste, a choice. You taste that, that's me, my love. If you truly don't want it fine, I'll walk away." She rolled off of him and sat next to him. "But if what Faith says is true, that I'm a slayer now and you don't want me…" She stood. "I'm leaving Zion; I'm jumping on the first ship to the Scavengers."

He opened his eyes in time to catch her running out the door. He leaped up and ran after her, her blood dripping down his throat with a single droplet on his chin. He ignored the eyes of those he pushed out of the way. She was running down the catwalk, he could smell her tears. He berated his stupidity.

"El!" He yelled.

She turned, but as she did she bumped a large man violently and began to tip over the railing. Frost leaped over everyone on the catwalk and reached for her. He saw that the man was Fang, who smirked. He reached for El but she was already falling over the railing. He grabbed her arm, but her weight was too much and they both tumbled over the edge.

"FROST!" He heard Ra scream.

As they fell he pulled El to him, "I'm sorry, I love you."

Tears formed in her eyes as she kissed him, he felt so guilty. He turned them so that he was on the bottom.

"Deacon?" She asked as a tear left her eyes and hit his face.

Just before hitting the ground something plucked them out of the air. El looked up to see a woman with large bat wings and Apollo on his hover board.

"You alright," the woman asked in a thick Russian accent.

El nodded her head, her eyes met Frost's and she realized that he was ready to die for her. He not only cared for her, but he also loved her. They would be alright.

* * *

Ra watched as Apollo and the winged woman swooped in just in time. He turned and punched Fang. "I should stake you right now! Bastard, he's your sire." 

Fang glared at him, "no, my sire was a vicious creature, that man is a shell."

"People change, Fang, let him go."

"Let him go? He doesn't even remember me."

"He doesn't remember anything, not even me."

Fang's eyes narrowed, "what are you talking about?"

Ra watched as Frost and El were placed on the ground and kissed. A vampire and a slayer kissing, it should be disgusting, but they fit together. With his eyes still on the pair he replied to Fang's searching eyes, "I sired Frost, he was 25, as he tried to summon LaMagra the machines burst in." Ra looked up at Fang, "you were both shoved into the matrix, you remembered, but it consumed him, partially due to the interruption of the ritual it wiped his mind. You have to let him go, he may never remember."

Frost glanced up and could make out two figures watching him. Something at the back of his mind told him that they were family, but he couldn't remember.

* * *

Morpheus took the body from Faith and laid it next to Trinity's. 

"Don't worry, old man, he saved us so that Faith could protect us." Hannibal spoke.

There was a roar far off in the distance.

"I did my part in the prophesy, so what's next?" Morpheus sounded so lost.

Faith handed him a hand forged sword. She smiled, "we rebuild our lives and rebuild our world." She turned to Hannibal as they heard another roar and explosion. "The dragon was a girl?"

Oz started the ship as Kale sat down next to him. "So what next captain?"

"Recruitment"

"Isn't that what started all this in the first place?"

He smiled, "we will always need warriors."

"Course, same crew though, right?"

"Plus some."

"Well, you're still my captain, oh captain." She smiled, "_O CAPTAIN! my Captain! our fearful trip is done; The ship has weather'd every rack, the prize we sought is won; The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting_."

"Stop," Oz moaned, "the captain dies in that poem."

"Sorry, it's my favorite."

He glares at her as he turns the ship around and they head back to Zion.

"So you still haven't told me." She spoke.

He raised an eyebrow in response.

"What did the Oracle really tell you?"

"Love will come at the battles end, weathering fire, one, slayer, and demons return."

Kale laughed.

* * *

Poem: O Captain! My Captain by Walt Whitman 


	22. Prologue

**Prologue**

She stood on the roof top and watched him fight. He moved like his father. She had searched, but he had vanished. So instead she sought the son. He was younger less ties to the world, he would understand. As he staked the single vampire, she noticed the group of fifteen emerging from the shadows.

"Oh, no you don't," she whispered, "he's mine. Wait, here."

"Yes, ma'am."

Faith stepped over the edge of the ten story building and landed in a crouch on her feet. No one had noticed her; all were busy circling and threatening her target. She quietly snuck up, raised the scythe, swung it and took off three heads. The group froze as her target took the distraction to stake one. They pounced, but Faith continued swinging. Not one hand touched her and in no time there was nothing left in the ally but her, dust and him.

"Faith? They said you were dead."

"Nah, just miss placed, where's your father?"

"Dead, dragon fire dust."

"And your family?"

"Demons came after them, they're dead."

"So you're alone?"

He nodded his head, "Spike and Illyria joined the council, but apparently the vampire in me sets off the slayer senses so I stay away from them. Why?"

"I need your help," she held up her right hand. Hannibal landed next to her.

"Connor, we want you to choose but Hannibal has to touch you."

"I don't like magic!"

Hannibal put his hands on either side of Connor's face, "this isn't magic, it's truth."

Hannibal let the images flow from his mind into Connor's. He was gentle and let the boy take it all in slowly. When they were done he stepped back slowly.

Connor opened his eyes.

Faith held her breath waiting for the explosion.

But he remained silent.

Waking up was strange and hard, but then so was most of his life. When she placed the sword in his hand for the first time, he knew he was home. Hannibal told him that most people renamed themselves, he had considered this. In the end he realized that his father died to protect him so he kept his name.

Plus Connor the Destroyer had a nice ring to it, especially next to Faith the slayer, Hannibal the guide and Ra the first vampire.

* * *

End


End file.
